2010 | Seoul Going Forward w/ Bicycles
This article is a simple argument why, yes, we can ride a bicycle and survive in Seoul starting now!
First, take a look at this article about last Thursday’s declaration of war against “quick service” motorcycle couriers and it makes sense to me that the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is simply clearing the roads to become a bike friendly city by 2010.
Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon in cooperation with the SMG are both working towards their stated goal of a “clean, attractive, global city.” In order to achieve “clean” they are working on reducing heavy automobile traffic (as much as OPEC is helping on its own).
In a much welcomed plan, the city is investing heavily on bicycle lending and bike path infrastructure, reportedly costing the city $22-million toward building 45 bike-only lanes across five areas of Seoul.
The goal is to have nearly 80,000 public bikes available at 5,000 stations (or every 300 meters), with safe lanes linking the north and south sides of the river and major points across the entire city. How’s that for improving air quality?
Having rode daily on my bikes in Manhattan and Seoul (and witnessed a similar bike lending system in Barcelona, Spain), I 
can tell you that biking around town to shop, exercise, and go to work adds another dimension to urban life. It beats stop and go driving hands down. You get to know your neighborhood more intimately, learn about the nooks and hideaway shops you never knew were there. Plus, it’s the fastest short-distance transportation around, door to door!
As of August 2007, plans have been in the works to bring the Parisian-styled Velib bike lending system to Korea. This means that any registered pedestrian can have the convenience of a bicycle available to them at virtually any point around town. Late to work? Voila! Hop onto a city bike and shorten your travel time, and then ditch the bike at a station near your destination!
If you live in Songpa-gu, Seoul, you’re in luck because the first bikes will 
be made available at around 200 bikes stations there, as the bike paths already exist in and around Jamsil and the Olympic Park area (click image for bike sharing site, in Korean).
As for the rest of us, check with your local district as many are currently building paths. There already several in Seoul in Dongjak, Mangwon, and of course, the entire north and south banks of the Han River! Other governments are also getting involved in Incheon, Busan, Ujieongbu, New Songdo International City, and Paju in Gyeonggi-do.
From a Seoul city spokesman of the rationale for a bike system, a very well said summary:
“Bicycle-friendly communities will make people feel safer and more comfortable while riding their bikes for purposes of both fitness and transportation. With more Seoulities bicycling, we can experience reduced traffic demands, improved air quality and greater physical fitness.”
Tips: Tourist bikes, albeit not so great ones, are available to rent at multiple locations along the Han River and at certain places in the city (check bike shops and Olympic Park area). Now might be time to consider buying your own bike, even a cheap $200 one that you can easily sell off when you fly home.
–J. Kim fell in love with bicycles since “Rad” became a word
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