{
  "id": 8873654,
  "title": "Gangnam District uses smart LED lighting to bring royal history to life",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/gangnam-district-uses-smart-led-lighting-to-bring-royal-history-to-8873654",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T07:52:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/travel-food/20260921/gangnam-district-uses-smart-led-lighting-to-bring-royal-history-to-life"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gangnam District in southern Seoul has installed new smart LED streetlights along a 3-kilometer stretch, transforming the area into an illuminated pathway through its royal and Buddhist history, according to local officials. The project, named the \"Seonjeongneung-Bongeunsa Historical and Cultural Street of Light,\" began on September 14 and spans a 1.5-kilometer one-way route on Bongeunsa-ro. The installation includes 107 LED landscape lights and 59 image projectors along the sidewalks.\n\nThe area is home to Seonjeongneung, a UNESCO World Heritage site that houses the tombs of Joseon Dynasty King Seongjong, his consort Queen Jeonghyeon, and King Jungjong. Nearby Bongeunsa is an ancient Buddhist temple that once functioned as a royal mortuary temple related to the dynasty's tombs. The district designed the lighting to honor the historical significance of these sites while also enhancing pedestrian safety.\n\nInstead of merely replacing outdated streetlights, the district created a custom Seonjeongneung symbol specifically for the project. The LED lights and image projectors are strategically placed along both sides of the 1.5-kilometer route, turning an ordinary evening walk into a visually engaging journey through the rich heritage of the region.",
  "summary": "Gangnam District in southern Seoul has unveiled new smart LED streetlights along a 3-kilometer stretch connecting Seonjeongneung Station and Bongeunsa Station, transforming an ordinary evening stroll into an illuminated journey through the area's rich royal and Buddhist heritage, local officials said Monday. The \"Seonjeongneung-Bongeunsa Historical and Cultural Street of Light\" runs along both…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Gangnam District uses smart LED lighting to bring royal history to life",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/gangnam-district-uses-smart-led-lighting-to-bring-royal-history-to",
        "published": "2026-09-21T07:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}