Sejongno
{{Short description|Street in Seoul, South Korea}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2012}}
{{Expand Korean|date=September 2022|topic=transp}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| img = 광화문 전경 2011년 11월 대한민국 서울특별시 명소 (Seoul best attractions) 사본 -서울2.jpg
| caption = Sejong-daero looking southwards, fair on the pedestrian stretch
| hangul = 세종대로
| hanja = 世宗大路
| rr = Sejongdaero
| mr = Sejongdaero
}}
Sejongno ({{Korean|hangul=세종로}}), officially Sejong-daero ({{Korean|hangul=세종대로}}) is a street that runs through Jongno District, downtown Seoul, South Korea. It is named after King Sejong the Great of Joseon. The street is 600 meters in length, but due to its central location it is of great symbolic importance. It points north to Gwanaksan and Bukhansan (Mountains), and the Joseon-era palace Gyeongbokgung. It is also of historical significance as the location for royal administrative buildings and features statues of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin of Joseon Dynasty and King Sejong the Great of Joseon.{{cite news|title=Gwanghwamun Plaza: Let's Try to Turn New Place into National Symbol|url=https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2009/08/137_49478.html|access-date=27 February 2013|newspaper=The Korea Times|date=2 August 2009}}
Characteristic
File:Sejongno in Jongno-gu 2012.jpg
At the crossroads, stands the statue of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the naval war hero of Korea. At the northern end of Sejongno sits Gwanghwamun, the gate at the entrance to Gyeongbokgung. To either side of the street rests the Public Prosecutors Office, Sejong Center, U.S. Embassy, Kyobo Life, Kyobo Book Centre and The Dong-A Ilbo headquarters.
It was customary for the Korean Marines who are about to graduate their 2 years of service, to congregate in front of Yi's statue and swear allegiance. This was stopped due to creating immense traffic congestions to the 8 lane street of Sejongno.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}}
In 2009, major sections underwent a renovation period of 15-months, which downsized the 600-meter road from 16-lane to 10-lanes of traffic.{{cite news|last=Kwon|first=Mee-yoo|title=Gwanghwamun Plaza to Open Saturday|url=https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/07/113_49094.html|access-date=27 February 2013|newspaper=The Korea Times|date=26 July 2009}} The project included sections of the road from the front of Gwanghwamun and strenches south from the three-way intersection, along the front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts to the Sejong-ro intersection, where the statue of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin stands. The reduction was to construct the Gwanghwamun Plaza, a public open space in the center to the road.{{cite news|title=Popular plaza|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2908257|accessdate=27 February 2013|newspaper=Korea JoongAng Daily|date=3 August 2009|url-status=usurped|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130411054524/http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2908257|archivedate=11 April 2013}}{{cite news|last=Hoh|first=Kui-Seek|title=The road less travelled, by cars|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2908222|accessdate=27 February 2013|newspaper=Korea JoongAng Daily|date=3 August 2009|url-status=usurped|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130411051613/http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2908222|archivedate=11 April 2013}}
Administration
On 29 November 2009, parts of road were closed to traffic for twelve hours to film lengthy gunfight scenes for Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)'s 2009 spy action television drama series Iris, starring Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-hee, Jung Joon-ho, Kim Seung-woo and Kim So-yeon. The five lanes along Gwanghwamun Plaza in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts were closed to traffic from 07:00 to 19:00, while the five lanes on the Kyobo Book Centre side remains open to traffic. This marks the first time the Seoul Metropolitan Government has granted permission to blocked traffic along the Plaza for filming and it is part of Government's plans to promote the city's major tourist attractions; including Cheonggye Stream and Han River.{{cite news|title=Spy drama shoots in central Seoul|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2913183|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411045031/http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2913183|url-status=usurped|archive-date=11 April 2013|accessdate=4 March 2013|newspaper=Korea JoongAng Daily|date=28 November 2009|author=Kim Mi-ju|author2=Kim Gyeong-jin}}{{cite news|last=Kim|first=Hannah|title=Iris will be back for a second season, sans Lee Byung-hun|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2913369|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411051634/http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2913369|url-status=usurped|archive-date=11 April 2013|accessdate=4 March 2013|newspaper=Korea JoongAng Daily|date=3 December 2009}}
On 23 September 2012, the Seoul Metropolitan Government started on a trial basis, a 550-m designated section of Sejong-ro as pedestrian-only but permitted for cyclists. The section includes the road from the Gwanghwamun three-way intersection, along Gwanghwamun Plaza in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts to the Sejong-ro intersection.{{cite news|title=Pedestrian Zone Planned for Central Seoul|url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/09/21/2012092101033.html|accessdate=3 November 2012|newspaper=The Chosun Ilbo|date=21 September 2012}}
Major building and visitor attractions
File:Sejong-ro in Jongno-gu 2012.jpg on the right and Gwanghwamun on the left.]]
- Gyeongbokgung
- Gwanghwamun
- Central Government Complex
- Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
- Embassy of the United States in Seoul
- Ministry of Information and Communication
- Korea Telecom
- Kyobo Life Insurance Building, Kyobo Book Centre
- National Palace Museum of Korea
- Ilmin Museum of Art
- The Chosun Ilbo
- The Dong-A Ilbo
Transportation
Gwanghwamun Station, which is on Subway Line 5, is located at the southern end of Sejong-daero. Gyeongbokgung Station, which is served by Subway Line 3, has entrances near the northern end of Sejong-daero.