Gwanghwamun Plaza

Seoul's most important public square (2009) in front of the Gwanghwamun Gate – with statues of King Sejong and Admiral Yi.

Gwanghwamun Plaza in the heart of Seoul is South Korea's most symbolically significant public square. Opened in 2009 and comprehensively redesigned in 2021–2022, it stretches in front of the Gwanghwamun Gate, the main entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace, and is flanked by Sejongdaero Avenue. Two iconic monuments define the space: the statue of King Sejong the Great, creator of the Korean Hangul alphabet, and the statue of Admiral Yi Sunsin, the 16th-century national hero. Beneath the square lies a museum dedicated to King Sejong as well as an installation about the Gwanghwamun Gate itself. The plaza serves simultaneously as a gathering place, a forum for public demonstration and the backdrop for major national celebrations.