Deoksugung Stonewall Walkway partially open to public in Aug.

Several sections of Deoksu Palace stonewall walkways will be open to public after being blocked by a foreign embassy.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Sunday that some sections of Deoksu Palace stonewall walkways once blocked and dead-ended by the British Embassy in Korea will be open to the public, paved with stones and red clay. The suggestion to open all sections was in fact already made by the Seoul city to the Embassy in 2014. However, the British Embassy declined due to security issues. Later, the two sides agreed through additional discussions to partially disclose several section last October. Among a total of 170-meter long walk from the main to back gate of the Embassy, 100 meters to the back gate will be open to public. While the section is owned by the city government, it was an area used by the British Embassy under the permission for occupation and use since 1959.

The back gate has currently been torn down, and bollards (posts to block vehicles) will be installed to protect the pedestrians. Meanwhile, a new back gate will be built near the point where the disclosed section will end. Seoul expects to break ground this month after confirm‎ing the final design plan. Furthermore, the city government plans to negotiate ways to open the remaining 70 meters left unopen to the public.

Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com