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How many bridges are there spanning the historic Cheonggye Stream in Seoul? Did you know that the stream was restored in 2005 when former President Lee Myung-bak was the mayor of Seoul? The 5.8-km-long central open ditch starts in the heart of downtown Seoul and courses through the neighborhoods of Jongno and Dongdaemun before it meets the Joongrang Stream and eventually empties into the Han River.
How many bridges providing spectacular views on the sprawling lights of one of Asia's most electric capitals and its suburbs are there across the Han River? Do you realize that the 514-km-long river is Seoul's largest international gateway? It is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean Peninsula, after the Yalu, Tumen and Nakdong rivers.
Many Koreans living around the metropolitan area of Greater Seoul cannot accurately guess how many bridges there are crossing the stream. The same goes for the Han River, even though most of them use parts of those bridges day after day as commuters, pedestrians, drivers, walkers, strollers or promenade crossers.
Cheongye Stream, or Cheonggyecheon, runs through the city and is spanned by 22 bridges. They are named, in west-east flowing order, Mojeon (fruit shop), Kwangtong, Kwang (big and wide), Jangtong, Samil (March 1), Soopyo, Kwansoo, Sewoon, Baeogae (peach hill), Saebyeok (dawn), Majeon (cow-horse market), Beodeul (poplar), Narae (butterfly's flapping), Ogansoo (5-gan-sized), Mareunnae (clean ditch), Dasan, Youngdo (eternal departing), Hwanghak, (yellow crane), Biwoodang, Moohak, Dumul (two tributaries combined) and Gosanja.
Currently, 31 bridges over the Han River link the Seoul area and some parts of Gyeonggi Province (27 for ordinary transportation and four for railways). They are called, in east-west flowing order, Paldang Grand (935 meters long), Misa Grand (1,530m), Gangdong Grand (1,126m), Guri-Amsa Grand (2,740m, latest opening on Nov. 19, 2014), Gwangjin (1,056m), Cheonho Grand (1,150m), Olympic Grand (1,225m), Jamsil Railroad (1,270m), Jamsil Grand (1,280m), Cheongdam Grand (1,025m), Yeoungdong Grand (1,056m), Seongsu Grand (1,161m), Dongho Grand (1,095m), Hannam Grand (917m), Submerged (795m-1st floor), Banpo Grand (1,490m-2nd floor), Dongjak Grand (1,330m), Hangang Grand (1,005m), Hangang Railroad (1,110m, first opening on July 5, 1900), Wonhyo Grand (1,470m), Mapo Grand (1,400m), Seogang Grand (1,700m),, Dangsan Railroad (1,360m), Yanghwa Grand (1,053m), Seongsan Grand (1,410m), Gayang Grand (1,608m), Magok Railroad (1,090m), Banghwa Grand (2,559m), Shinhaengju Grand (1,460m), Gimpo Grand (2,280m) and Ilsan Grand (1,849m).
In addition, the World Cup Grand (1,980m), under construction between Yanghwa Grand and Seungsan Grand, will increase the number of bridges over the Han River to a total of 32 by 2017.
Most of 53 bridges on metropolitan waterways are utilitarian in appearance, but in a number of cases the appearance of the bridge can have great importance in Korea's history, culture, arts and technology ― symbols of a passage to an important place or state of mind.
The bridge administration, consisting of a combination of structural health monitoring and testing, needs to be carefully vigilant. The tragic memory of the Seungsu Grand Bridge collapse in the morning rush hour of Oct. 15, 1994, left a legacy about the importance of making sure all safeguards are in place when it comes to bridge design, construction and maintenance.
The 22 bridges over the Cheonggye Stream and the 31 bridges across the Han River are all structures built to provide passage over physical obstacles such as bodies of water or terrain. All of them should be well conserved and operated with keen attention to their value, convenience, cultural importance and safety.
The writer is an outside director of Samyang Tongsang Co. in Seoul. He can be reached at kexim2@unitel.co.kr.
