{
  "id": 19109195,
  "title": "Seoul adds downtown crosswalks to free pedestrians from underground tunnels",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/seoul-adds-downtown-crosswalks-to-free-pedestrians-from-underground-19109195",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-09T07:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/others/20261109/seoul-adds-downtown-crosswalks-to-free-pedestrians-from-underground-tunnels"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul's downtown area is becoming more pedestrian-friendly as the city installs street-level crosswalks at major intersections, eliminating the need for pedestrians to navigate the complex underground tunnel system. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that crosswalks have been completed at two key locations - Cheonggye 6-ga and Mugyo-dong, with another set to be completed near Seoul Station by the end of November. At Cheonggye 6-ga, residents have been waiting for nearly two decades for this convenience, having first requested it in 2006. The installation faced delays in the past due to concerns about potential disruption to underground shopping areas and nearby cultural heritage sites. However, these issues were resolved through mediation in December 2023, involving several key stakeholders including the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the police agency, facilities corporation, and three merchants' associations. The final construction phase was completed in October, allowing pedestrians to cross the eight to ten lane Jangchungdan-ro without being confined to the underground passages.",
  "summary": "Navigating central Seoul on foot is getting easier as the city rolls out street-level crosswalks at major intersections, phasing out the labyrinth of underground passages and lengthy detours long forced upon pedestrians. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday that it has completed new crosswalk installations at Cheonggye 6-ga and Mugyo-dong intersection, while another is being built near…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}