Another addition to my Olympic Parks collection is Seoul’s 1988 Olympic Park. I was in Seoul for a day so I was only able to go to the park at night. It probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do since the park was poorly lit and it was pretty empty. To top it all, I found myself on the other end of the World Peace gate which meant I had to walk around the whole park! I didn’t know there was another train stop exactly in front of the gate.
It wasn’t too bad of a walk in the dark by myself though. But don’t tell my parents that!
World Peace Gate
According to Seoul’s Olympic Park website, the ‘World Peace Gate’ which attempted a natural harmony between traditional and modern architecture while making maximum portrayal of the gate concept, utilized the round curves of Korea’s traditional architecture emphasizing the images of rapid progress and ascent.
Peace Square
The 24th Summer Olympic Games in Seoul emphasized the event as a festival of world peace in name and in reality by the Declaration of Seoul Peace on September 12, 1988. The Olympic Games should be a period of peace, free from weapons, hatred, violence and terror. A Letter of Appeal for Peace was signed by everyone in the Peace committee.
Jen is a Chicago-based traveler and creative. She is a full-time development & communications executive specializing in non-profit organizations. Originally from the East Coast, she created The Jetsetter as a place to share her travel stories and photos with friends and family. Now, it is a place for adventurers and dreamers. Its purpose is to inspire and encourage busy professionals to see the world and achieve a better work-life balance.