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Seoul Station Plaza to be designated non-smoking zone from June 1

Published: 18 Mar. 2025, 13:00 Updated: 18 Mar. 2025, 13:30

A banner saying Seoul Station Plaza will be designated as a non-smoking zone [JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

Seoul Station Plaza in central Seoul will be designated as a non-smoking zone starting June 1.

The Jung District Office announced on Tuesday that it will designate approximately 56,000 square meters (602,779 feet) of Seoul Station Plaza and its surrounding area as a non-smoking zone, imposing a fine of 100,000 won ($69.10) to those who light up within its boundaries.

The decision of the district office comes after conducting an on-site survey in April last year.

Major rail lines, such as the Gyeongbu and Honam lines, KTX, subway lines No. 1 and No. 4 and the Airport Railroad intersect at Seoul Station. Although an average of 300,000 people pass through daily, complaints have been raised due to widespread smoking.

Jung District’s jurisdiction includes Seoul Station Plaza, the area surrounding the station and the Seoul Station Bus Transfer Center. The district office held discussions with related organizations, including the Seoul city government, Yongsan District Office and Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail), before officially designating Seoul Station Plaza as a non-smoking area.

Smoking booths managed by Korail are excluded from the non-smoking zone.

The district plans to focus on raising public awareness in collaboration with related organizations until May and will conduct joint crackdowns with Yongsan District and Namdaemun Police Precinct starting in June.

"To ensure that Seoul Station Plaza, a major gateway to the city and a hub for countless citizens, remains a pleasant space, we will strictly manage the non-smoking area," said Jung District head Kim Gil-sung.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]