Buchukong Church in Suwon Opens Walls to Create Public Transit Route for Citizens and Tourists

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon City and the Catholic Diocese of Suwon will demolish the walls of Bukchukong Church and create an exploration trail connecting Haenggung-dong's 'King's Alley' and Hwaseong Haenggung.

Suwon City and the Suwon Diocese (Bishop Lee Yong-hun) signed a 'Haenggung-dong urban regeneration project Bukchukong King's Alley specialization business agreement' at Suwon City Hall on the 29th and committed to cooperating for the successful implementation of the project.

Attendees at the agreement ceremony included Vice Mayor Yu Mun-jong, Director of Urban Policy Bureau Ki Woo-jin, Rev. Yang Tae-young, director of the Suwon Diocese's office, and Rev. Hwang Hyun, head of the management bureau.

Currently, to reach Hwaseong Haenggung from King's Alley, one must detour more than 500 meters, but passing through Bukchukong Church will enable direct access.

Under the agreement, the Suwon Diocese will approve land use so Suwon City can conduct maintenance on the aging walls of Bukchukong Church, create public transit routes, and improve parking lot facilities. After completion, the diocese plans to manage and operate the facilities by opening the public transit route, parking lot, and restrooms to citizens.

Suwon City will invest urban regeneration seed money (50% national funding, 50% city funding) to construct the facilities. The Suwon Diocese will cover 10% of the facility construction costs.

The 'Bukchukong King's Alley specialization project,' being promoted as a detailed unit project of the Haenggung-dong urban regeneration project, involves creating a public transit route connecting Suwon Stream, King's Alley, Bukchukong Church, and Hwaseong Haenggung. It is scheduled to open to citizens in January next year.

The public exploration trail will start at Suwon Stream near Hwahongmun Gate and continue through King's Alley, Bukchukong Church, and Jeongjo-ro (Hwaseong Haenggung).

The walls behind Bukchukong Church will be demolished to create a public transit route. Once the transit route is completed, King's Alley and Jeongjo-ro will be connected in a straight line. Tourists and citizens can walk through King's Alley, visit Bukchukong Church, exit through the church's main entrance, and proceed to Hwaseong Haenggung.

Bukchukong Church will offer free parking to visitors exploring King's Alley and to those visiting 'Polli Gallery' (registered cultural property by the Cultural Heritage Administration) within the church.

Vice Mayor Yu Mun-jong stated, "Bukchukong Church, which will be open to citizens and tourists, serves as a key point for the public transit route connecting King's Alley and Hwaseong Haenggung," adding "this project achieved through the cooperation of the Suwon Diocese will be an excellent example of public-private partnership."

He continued, "The eastern side of Haenggung-dong, which had appeared rundown compared to Haenggundal-gil (eastern side of Haenggung-dong), has been neatly improved through the Haenggung-dong urban regeneration project," expressing hope that "the public exploration trail leading from King's Alley to Bukchukong Church will establish itself as a tourist attraction."