{{Short description|Park in Seoul, South Korea}} {{Expand Korean|topic=geo|여의도공원|date=January 2015}} {{infobox park |image = Yeouido Park Pond 201604.jpg |image_caption = A pond and pavilion in the park, April 2015 |location = [[Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul]] |mapframe-zoom = 14 |module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto|child=yes |hangul = ^여의도_공원 |hanja = 汝矣島公園 }}}} '''Yeouido Park''' ({{korean|여의도공원}}) is a park in [[Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul]], South Korea.

The park, which runs northeast–southwest through the centre of the island, has a large open area which is popular with bicyclists and skateboarders, and breaks into footpaths lined with trees and seasonal flowers.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

The area was only made a park in recent years. In 1924, the area was occupied by [[Yeouido Airport]], the first airport in the country. In the 1970s, it was made into an asphalt strip and named '''May 16 Square''' by President [[Park Chung Hee]]. It was finally redeveloped into a park and opened to the public on July 5, 1999.

==History== During the [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese colonial period]], the site was the location of Seoul's first airport, [[Yeouido Airport]], which was built in April 1924.<ref>According to {{cite web|url=http://yeongdeungpo.seoul.go.kr/Dong/04/sub01/c01.asp|script-title=ko:동현황|work=Yeouido-dong website (Korean)|access-date=2006-04-16}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. However, the [http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=111942 Naver Encyclopedia] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120701172533/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=111942 |date=2012-07-01 }} asserts that the airport opened in 1916, and that the homecoming flight of [[An Chang-nam]], the first Korean pilot, landed here in 1922.</ref> In the 1970s, the area was developed into an asphalt strip as part of the Han River development project led by President Park Chung Hee, who named it May 16 Square in reference to the [[May 16 coup|coup]] he led in 1961.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lankov|first1=Andrei|title=(556) Birth of Yeouido Park|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/common/printpreview.asp?categoryCode=165&newsIdx=86878|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109113222/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/common/printpreview.asp?categoryCode=165&newsIdx=86878|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 9, 2017|website=[[The Korea Times]]|access-date=9 January 2017|language=en|date=12 May 2015}}</ref>

In May 1984, [[Pope John Paul II]] held a [[Canonisation|canonization]] mass in the park for Saints [[Andrew Kim Taegon]], [[Paul Chong Hasang]], and [[Korean Martyrs|101 other martyrs]] who were executed during the [[Joseon]] period.

After having lain under asphalt for 27 years, May 16 Square was subsequently redeveloped, and was reopened on July 5, 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.tour2korea.com/03Sightseeing/TravelSpot/travelspot_read.asp?konum=subm1_1&kosm=m3_6&oid=133|title=Yeouido|work=Tour2Korea.com|access-date=2006-04-16|archive-date=2005-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050830021146/http://english.tour2korea.com/03Sightseeing/TravelSpot/travelspot_read.asp?konum=subm1_1&kosm=m3_6&oid=133|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In December 2025 EXIT 1 [[GTX-B]] [[Yeouido Station]] under construction.

==Gallery== <gallery mode=packed heights=160px> File:Yeouido Park Coffee Shop 201604.jpg|A coffee shop near the edge of the park. </gallery> <gallery mode=packed heighst=160px> File:Yeouido Park Lawn 201604.jpg|a grassy field in the middle of the park. File:Yeouido Park Children Play Area 201604.jpg|One of several playgrounds scattered throughout the park. File:Yeouido Park Bicycles, Seoul.jpg|Yeouido Park bicyclists </gallery>

==See also== * [[Hangang Park]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Yeouido Park}} * [http://parks.seoul.go.kr/park/common/park_info/park_intro.jsp?rtn_url=/park/common/park_info/park_introduce.jsp&num=21&search=y%7C%BF%A9%C0%C7%B5%B5%7C%BF%A9%C0%C7%B5%B5%7C%7Cmap%7C%BF%B5%B5%EE%C6%F7%B1%B8%7C%7C%7C&orderby1=p_park,&orderby2=p_addr Yeouido Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102081405/http://parks.seoul.go.kr/park/common/park_info/park_intro.jsp?rtn_url=%2Fpark%2Fcommon%2Fpark_info%2Fpark_introduce.jsp&num=21&search=y%7C%BF%A9%C0%C7%B5%B5%7C%BF%A9%C0%C7%B5%B5%7C%7Cmap%7C%BF%B5%B5%EE%C6%F7%B1%B8%7C%7C%7C&orderby1=p_park%2C&orderby2=p_addr |date=2015-01-02 }} from Parks and Mountains of Seoul

{{Seoul parks}}

[[Category:Parks in Seoul]] [[Category:Yeouido]]

{{Seoul-geo-stub}}