People take a break at Banpo Han River Park in Seoul, in this file photo taken Sept. 5, 2023. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul citizens chose the Han River as the main landmark representing the capital city, whereas foreigners residing in the city picked Gwanghwamun Square as the city’s top emblem, survey results showed Thursday.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the results of the “2023 Seoul Survey” conducted on 20,000 households, in which residents of Seoul picked convenient transportation, a variety of cuisines, and shopping, along with safety in getting around the downtown area as the city’s main appeal.
Of them, 48.3 percent pointed to the Han River as the city’s main landmark, followed by 36.1 percent voting for Gwanghwamun Square, 32.3 percent for ancient palaces and 17.2 percent for the N Seoul Tower.
In a similar survey conducted on 2,500 foreigners residing in the city for over 91 days, 45.9 percent voted for Gwanghwamun Square as the city’s symbolic destination, trailing ancient palaces at 41.4 percent and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza at 25.6 percent.
More residents in the city were leading lives centered on work over leisure, with those in their 30s and 40s saying they prioritize work more than leisure at 47.9 percent and 47.3 percent, respectively, and 39.2 percent saying so for those in their 50s.
But satisfaction in their leisure life increased from 5.27 points in 2020 to 5.70 points in 2023, the same data showed.
Meanwhile, 88.5 percent said they have visited parks in the last six months, with the majority going to a small park near their residence, marking 82.8 percent, mostly for the purpose of taking a break.
Two out of three residents, or 68.6 percent of the total, said they enjoyed their leisure time by the waterfront, mostly for friendly gatherings.
“We will analyze the results of the survey in multiple spheres to reflect the practical lives and thoughts of the city’s residents in policies and businesses for the city,” a city official said.
(Yonhap)
