Seoul Station Plaza will become an alcohol-free zone on Nov. 9, with violators facing fines of 50,000 won ($35) starting March 1, 2027, Seoul’s Jung-gu district announced Monday.
The move comes as the Seoul Metropolitan Government considers fines for drinking along Cheonggye Stream, part of a broader push by local governments across South Korea to curb drinking in parks, plazas and other shared spaces.
The designation will cover approximately 13,283 square meters of outdoor space, excluding indoor businesses, subway entrances and nearby pedestrian passages.
The district said 96.4 percent of 1,238 people surveyed supported the restriction. Authorities will run public awareness campaigns and issue warnings through February before beginning to impose fines in March.
Similar restrictions are taking effect elsewhere in the capital.
Eunpyeong-gu designated 34 children’s parks as no-drinking zones on Oct. 1, with fines of 100,000 won set to take effect in January. Gangnam-gu designated six parks in July, with enforcement beginning Oct. 31.
Outside Seoul, Bucheon in Gyeonggi Province designated a lawn area outside Bucheon Station as an alcohol-free zone on Oct. 1. Jeonju in North Jeolla Province introduced similar restrictions at Pungnammun Gate Square in September.
Both cities plan to begin imposing fines of 50,000 won in January 2027.
The measures reflect a broader push by local governments to curb public drinking and improve safety in parks, plazas and other shared spaces.
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