[Herald Economy = Senior Reporter Park Jong-il] The Dongdaemun District of Seoul, led by Acting District Mayor Kim Ki-hyun, officially opened a water sports experience and training center beneath Ihwa Bridge at Imun Riverside Park on May 1. The facility aims to give children, teens and local residents hands-on access to active, healthy leisure activities.The center will operate through October 31.
Opened last year as Seoul’s first urban river water sports facility on the Jungnangcheon, the center offered residents rare opportunities to learn paddleboarding and kayaking and drew strong local interest.
This year, attendance picked up immediately after the opening, and the site has quickly become a neighborhood destination for relaxation.
The program runs four times daily—two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions—each lasting 60 minutes. The center is closed on Mondays for maintenance and safety checks.
The program is free and open to residents and youth ages 8 and up. To ensure a safe and comfortable experience, each session is limited to 20 participants. Operating hours may be adjusted as needed in response to extreme heat or other weather conditions.
Residents can register through the Seoul Public Service Reservation website. Booking for May is currently open, and reservations for June begin on May 20. Group bookings (schools, welfare centers, etc.) can be arranged by phone at any time.
“We hope the water sports center that opened on May 1 becomes a refreshing source of energy for our residents,” Acting District Mayor Kim Ki-hyun said. “We will do everything we can to ensure the facility is safe and well managed so many people can enjoy water sports and find small joys in their daily lives.”
