The maintenance and operation expense of Seoullo 7017, which has recently faced controversy over cockroach sightings, has exceeded a cumulative 25 billion won since its opening. As the 10th year approaches, with waterproofing work and other facility repairs following one after another, there is an outlook that the maintenance expense burden will grow further.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 19th, maintenance of the rooftop waterproofing layer of the cylindrical shelter facilities within Seoullo 7017 is scheduled to proceed. Because of their cylindrical exterior, these facilities installed throughout Seoullo 7017 are called "canned buildings" on-site.
This maintenance is work to repair the aging waterproofing layer. If the waterproofing layer is damaged, rainwater can seep in and lead to internal leaks in the facilities, so it is being carried out as a preventive measure. A Seoul city official said, "Since the 2017 opening, about nine years have passed, and this is maintenance work we are carrying out."
Seoullo 7017 is a project from 2017 during former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's tenure that invested about 60 billion won to regenerate the Seoul Station overpass into an elevated pedestrian park. The name "7017" combines 1970, when the Seoul Station overpass was built, and 2017, when it was reborn as a walkway. While it drew attention at the time of opening as a flagship case of urban regeneration, there has been steady controversy over operational efficiency and maintenance expense.
Seoullo 7017 is structurally different from an ordinary park. It was created by using the overpass structure completed in 1970 as is, and landscaping, lighting, elevators, escalators, and various amenities are concentrated in one space. There are that many items to manage, and the maintenance expense is not insignificant.
In fact, maintenance and operation costs rose quickly right after opening. Related budget, which was 1.43 billion won in 2017, the first year of opening, increased to 4.33 billion won in 2018 and 4.77 billion won in 2019. Around 3.7 billion won was also投入 in both 2020 and 2021.
Since 2022, under Mayor Oh Se-hoon's administration, the city shifted Seoullo 7017 to direct management to cut expense. Since then, maintenance and operation costs have fallen to the low-2 billion-won range annually, and recently have been maintained at around 1.6 billion won per year. However, the cumulative maintenance and operation costs from the 2017 opening through 2025 are estimated to have exceeded 25 billion won.
The problem lies ahead. As the 10th year approaches, not only waterproofing work but also equipment replacement, structural safety inspections, and facility repairs are likely to increase additional management needs. There are also observations that, because Seoullo 7017 is a special structure repurposing an overpass, the maintenance burden can only grow over time.
A video of cockroach sightings that spread online recently also brought Seoullo 7017's management issues back to the surface. Controversy grew as a video filmed by a foreign tourist showing dozens of cockroaches roaming around flower beds and benches at Seoullo 7017 spread. The city is carrying out diagnosis and quarantine measures through a professional pest control company.
Experts say the future operating direction of Seoullo 7017 should be decided through objective evaluation, not emotional debate. Jin Jang-ik, a professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Real Estate at Chung-Ang University, said, "Whether to maintain Seoullo 7017 or use it for another purpose should be decided based on an objective cost-benefit analysis rather than political debate," adding, "It is necessary to determine the operating direction through a feasibility study that comprehensively reviews maintenance expense, usage effects, and potential alternative uses."