Some 100 meters of walkway by the famous stone wall surrounding Deoksugung in Seoul will be opened to the public next August.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said earlier this week that it has begun work on the section of the walkway that is currently on the property of the British Embassy, following an agreement between Seoul City and the embassy last year.

A 170-meter section of the 1.1-kilometer wall is currently off limits to pedestrians, as it is part of the British Embassy compound. After the work, 100 meters more of the Deoksugung Stone Wall Walkway will be open to the public, while the remaining 70 meters in front of the embassy’s building will remain closed for security reasons. 

“(Opening) Deoksugung Stone Wall Walkway is not only historically and culturally meaningful but is expected to become a significant symbol between Seoul City and the British Embassy,” said a city official.

It added that it will continue to discuss completing the circuit around the palace with the British Embassy.

Deoksugung’s picturesque Stone Wall Walkway was designated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government as a must-visit walkway in 1999. It was also listed in 2006 as one of the 100 most beautiful roads in Korea by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

It is famous among local and foreign visitors for its serene space, with forested gardens and fountains inside the palace, as well as major historic and cultural sites in the vicinity.

Deoksugung is one of Seoul’s five grand palaces built during the Joseon era (1392-1910). Meaning “Palace of Virtuous Longevity,” Deoksugung became a palace in 1593 when King Seonjo moved in after all of palaces in Seoul were destroyed during the Japanese invasion. It was an auxiliary palace from 1618-1897 and its boundary has been moved and altered over time.

In 2014, the SMG asked the British Embassy to cooperate with the restoration of the Deoksugung Stonewall Walkway. Last year, they signed a memorandum of understanding to restore it by 2017.

Earlier this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Council approved the project for restoration with 2.8 billion won ($2.34 million) of funding.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said that it will include the recovered part of the Deoksugung Stonewall Walkway in a city-run historic walking tour program which kicked off last month.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)