Mapo Bridge

The bridge started construction in February 29, 1968 and was opened in May 16, 1970 with the name of Seoul Bridge.{{Cite news |date=February 29, 1968 |title=서울大橋(대교)착공 |url=http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1968022900209207004&edtNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1968-02-29&officeId=00020&pageNo=7&printNo=14269&publishType=00020 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo}}{{Cite news |date=May 16, 1970 |title=서울大橋(대교) 開通(개통) 首都(수도)발전大動脈(대동맥)1,390m |url=http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1970051600209201008&edtNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1970-05-16&officeId=00020&pageNo=1&printNo=14953&publishType=00020 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo}} The bridge's name was changed to the current Mapo Bridge in November 13, 1984.{{Cite news |date=November 13, 1984 |title=2百(백)49개 길이름공고 |url=http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1984111300329206001&editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1984-11-13&officeId=00032&pageNo=6&printNo=12041&publishType=00020 |work=The Kyunghyang Shinmun}} The bridge's traffic eventually increased leading to severe traffic jams, which spurred the construction of the neighboring Wonhyo Bridge, which then led to the further development of Yeouido.

The bridge was originally designed to be able to carry up to 32 metric tons per vehicle, but as vehicular traffic across Seoul increased, vehicles weighing over 40 tons were starting to use the bridge. This put significant pressure on the bridge's structure, and cracks on the deck slab and efflorescence of the concrete. Due to this, plans were set in 1993 for the bridge to be repaired.{{Cite news |date=July 12, 1993 |title=마포대교 10월까지 전면 보수 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/001/0003675969?sid=102 |work=Yonhap News}}

However, the collapse of the Seongsu Bridge in 1994 led to every bridge on the Han River being inspected and repaired, and it was also decided that a new bridge would be constructed adjacent to the old bridge before it would be repaired. Construction of the new bridge commenced on December 1996 and was completed on June 30, 2000, with vehicular traffic being allowed starting from July 3rd of the same year.{{Cite news |date=June 30, 2000 |title=신마포대교 3일 오후2시 개통 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/009/0000025393?sid=102 |work=Maeil Business Newspaper}} With the opening of the new bridge, the old bridge was closed for repairs that included reconstructing the entire upper portion, and it was re-opened on October 17, 2005 as the 2nd Mapo Bridge.{{Cite news |date=October 17, 2005 |title=[수도권]마포대교 오늘 확장 개통 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/020/0000319815?sid=103 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo}}

The suicide rate is very high in South Korea and bridge jumping is common. Mapo Bridge has a reputation of jumpers with over 100 attempts between 2007 and 2012.{{cite news |last=Chung |first=Jane |date=October 3, 2012 |title=South Korea Suicides: Mapo Bridge Gets Uplifting Signs To Prevent Suicides |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/south-korea-suicides-mapo-bridge-uplifting-signs_n_1934889.html |accessdate=February 8, 2013 |work=Huffington Post}}

On July 26, 2013, Sung Jae-ki jumped off Mapo Bridge in an attempt to draw attention to gender inequality against men and a plea to accrue needed funds for "Men of Korea". Although rescue work began almost immediately after he fell and a widespread search of the Han River was conducted, it took three days to retrieve his body.{{cite web | url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=214&aid=0000259882 | title=Sung jae gi threw himself to Han river and missing | publisher=MBC | date=27 July 2013 | accessdate=27 July 2013|language=ko}}

In September 2012, Samsung Life Insurance and Cheil Worldwide attempted to deter suicides on the bridge by adding pictures, words, and a statue that were intended to foster an encouraging atmosphere.{{Cite web |last=Osborne |first=Charlie |date=June 30, 2013 |title=South Korea's LED lighting lowers suicide rates? |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/south-koreas-led-lighting-lowers-suicide-rates/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=ZDNET |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Schiller |first=Ben |date=2013-06-28 |title=This South Korean Bridge Lights Up To Persuade People Not To Jump |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/2682428/this-south-korean-bridge-lights-up-to-persuade-people-not-to-jump |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250220170441/https://www.fastcompany.com/2682428/this-south-korean-bridge-lights-up-to-persuade-people-not-to-jump |archive-date=2025-02-20 |access-date=2025-05-19 |work=Fast Company |language=en-US}} For instance, the bridge's handrails were equipped with motion sensors to sense movement, lighting up with short phrases, written with the help of suicide prevention groups, also showing photos of happy families among other things. The bridge was given the nickname "Bridge of Life".{{Cite news |last=Woo |first=Jaeyeon |date=2013-11-08 |title=Seoul 'Bridge of Life' Still Attracts Suicide Attempts |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-KRTB-4514 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250519023655/https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-KRTB-4514 |archive-date=May 19, 2025 |access-date=2025-05-19 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}} In the following years, suicide attempts increased by 16 to 12 times, from 11 in 2011 before installation and 15 in 2012 when it was installed, to 184 in 2014, due in part to the increased publicity.{{Cite web |last=박 |first=송이 |date=2015-08-15 |title=‘따뜻한 말 한마디’론 막을 수 없다 |trans-title=‘A warm word’ can’t stop it |url=https://www.khan.co.kr/article/201508151439571 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=경향신문 |language=ko}} However, deaths remained steady at 5-6 each year.{{Cite journal |last=Kim |first=Haesoo |last2=Kwon |first2=Se Won |last3=Ahn |first3=Yong Min |last4=Jeon |first4=Hong Jin |last5=Park |first5=Subin |last6=Hong |first6=Jin Pyo |date=2019 |title=Implementation and outcomes of suicide-prevention strategies by restricting access to lethal suicide methods in Korea |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41271-018-0152-x |journal=Journal of Public Health Policy |language=en |volume=40 |issue= |pages=91–102 |doi=10.1057/s41271-018-0152-x |issn=0197-5897}}

Such measures were deemed to be a failure in 2015. Samsung eventually replaced the lights with barriers in a return to a more physical approach to suicide prevention by October.{{cite news | first = Lina | last = Jang | title = Slogans for Suicide Prevention Removed from Mapo Bridge After 7 Years | date = October 23, 2019 | url = http://koreabizwire.com/slogans-for-suicide-prevention-removed-from-mapo-bridge-after-7-years/146427 }} Some slogans remained until 2019, which included phrases that featured "questionable choices of words like, 'Try it, then' and 'Hahahahahaha.'"{{Cite web |last=Min-sik |first=Yoon |date=2022-12-31 |title=The uphill battle to stop Han River suicides |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3029872 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}

The existing 1.5m tall barriers were extended by another meter in 2016, and in 2022, AI monitoring was introduced. Following the extension of barriers, the number of attempts decreased in 2017, and all were prevented or rescued in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Ji-hye |first=Shin |date=2024-07-17 |title=Korea's weapons in war against suicides |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3436223 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}

File:Mapo Bridge.png|The phrase on the handrail pictured reads "the wind is really nice."

• Sung Jae-ki

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{{Han River bridges}}

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Category:Bridges in Seoul

Category:Bridges completed in 1970

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