Guro District, Seoul

History of Guro can be divided into two origins: old Bupyeong and old Siheung areas.

The eastern part was known as Ingbeollo-hyeon (仍伐奴縣 – meaning ‘land spreading’) during the Goguryeo Dynasty (37 BC - AD 668) but it changed into Gogyang-hyeon (穀壤縣) in the period of the Unified Silla Dynasty (668 - 935), and again changed into Geumju (衿州) and Siheung (始興) during the Goryeo Dynasty (918 - 1392). Following a complete reorganisation of the district in 1413, it changed to Geumcheon-hyeon (衿川縣), later into Siheung-hyeon (始興縣) in 1795, and became part of Siheung-gun(始興郡), Gyeonggi Province, until 1949.

The western part was known as Jubuto-gun (主夫土郡) during the Goguryeo Dynasty (37 BC - AD 668) but it changed into Jangje-gun (長堤郡) in the period of the Unified Silla Dynasty (668 - 935), and again changed into Annam(安南), Gyeyang(桂陽), Gilju(吉州) and Bupyeong(富平) during the Goryeo Dynasty (918 - 1392). In Joseon era, this area was mainly part of Sutan Township of Bupyeong Dohobu or Bupyeong Metropolitan Prefecture. In 1895, Bupyeong Dohobu was downgraded to Bupyeong County, and it was merged with outer part of old Incheon City to form Bucheon County.

On August 13, 1949, the eastern part was incorporated in the enlarged administrative district of Seoul and eastern part of Sosa Town of Bucheon County was incorporated to Seoul in 1963. This area remained in the jurisdiction of Yeongdeungpo until April 1, 1980 when Guro became a new district.

Neighbourhoods of Cheolsan and Gwangmyeong were once considered for annexation to Guro, but the plan foundered as government officials were afraid of further boundary expansion of Seoul and consequently Gwangmyeong City was established in place of the annexation plan.

Textile manufacturing, dressmaking, and other labour-intensive industries declined after the 1990s and this affected regional development and became the cause of many problems.[4] Because of this, Guro District council has divided the district into four zones and has started developing each zone according to its characteristics in order to revitalise the economy of the area.[5] The four zones are: the Garibong Redevelopment Zone, Sindorim & Guro Stations area, the Gaebong Residential Area and the New Town Development on the Southwestern Outskirts.[6] After the reorganisation of the industrial structure in the late 1990s, more than 80% of I.T. companies settled in the area, creating the Guro Digital Industrial Complex. Meanwhile, many apartments were built replacing the old textile manufacturing factories to become a new, attractive residential area for south-west Seoul. The Development of Guro District's Four Zones is intended to be the centre for environmentally friendly residences, cutting-edge digital industry and logistics.

Guro Industrial Complex (later renamed Guro Digital Complex), the first industrial complex of the country, was created in Guro 3-dong in 1967. The World Industrial Exhibition held in Guro District in 1968 contributed to remarkable development of Guro Industrial Complex and the textile manufacturing, dressmaking, and other labour-intensive industries dubbed the "Miracle on the Han River" during the 1960s and 1970s. Guro Industrial Complex contributed 10% of national export. The Guro Industrial Complex has rapidly changed from a manufacturing industrial zone into a futuristic industrial hub, centering on research and development activities, advanced information and knowledge industries since 2000, and has developed into the largest digital industrial complex in Korea. As of 2008, there are about 8,000 venture companies with more than 100,000 staff in an area of two million m². Moreover, it is the hub for the nation's high-tech industry which continuously focuses on R&D, high-tech knowledge and information industry. More than 80% of the companies are I.T. companies with a total production of about 5.5 trillion won and an export of about 1.5 trillion won. Especially importantly, the Korea Venture Business Association is located in Guro Industrial Complex.

D-Cube City is a large, integrated leisure complex immediately adjacent to Sindorim Station and modeled on the Roppongi Hills development in Tokyo.[8] It contains a Hyundai department store, a Sheraton hotel, a Lotte Cinema and arts center, a park and apartment buildings. Construction began in 2007 and the complex was opened in 2011. The project cost 1.3 billion KRW and has served as a catalyst for development in the area.

Guro district hosts one of the, large Techno Marts in Seoul, the other being in Gangbyeon on the north east side of the city.[9] The Guro Techno Mart is next to Sindorim Station and is home to large number of electronics stores, as well as other facilities including a wedding venue and an Emart.

Owing to its industrial past, Guro district hosts the large Seoul Industrial Tools Commercial Complex which is located close to Guro Station on Line 1.[10] The large complex is primarily wholesale in nature but caters to a diverse range of customers from factories to individuals.[11] The complex was established in 1981 as a cooperative effort by local businesses. As of 2008 the complex was home to 1,900 stores.[12]

The administration of Guro District is mainly composed of digital, sanitary and welfare administration.

The digital administration is the embodiment of e-government standards. Guro District combines high tech information technology and administration to provide a digital administrative service to the citizens and a good business environment to companies.

• E-Services refers to e-procurement, health check-up appointments at the district public health centre, civil affairs, tailored bidding information services available via the Internet, a cyber culture centre and cyber shopping mall for business.
• E-Administration refers to e-approvals, knowledge management, and performance-based personnel management systems that allow quick and efficient administration with no use of paper.
• E-Information is the OPEN (Online Procedures Enhancement for Civil Applications) system, newsletters, Internet broadcasting and integrated administrative information system in order to provide citizens with real-time results on topics of civil affairs as well as a wide range of useful information.
• E-Participation is the email to the Mayor, environment-related reporting via the Internet, a Cyber Policy Forum, Cyber Citizen Panels, Citizen Opinion Polling with short message services via the Internet and mobile tools, contests for citizens' best ideas, submission of citizens' comments regarding regulations, and citizens participating in the budget process.

Sanitary Administration is concentrating its efforts to reduce environmental pollution and expand the green zone in the area of Guro Industrial Complex that was once seriously polluted. Many citizens are actively participating in environmental organisations such as Ansamo and Hwansamo. Especially, the Ggalggeumi Volunteers revived the practice of citizens cleaning up their neighborhood streets and roads on a daily basis with the participation of about 12,000 citizens, which became the first citizens’ voluntary organisation in the area of environment. Years of restoration efforts have resulted in upgrading the water quality of the Anyang Stream, and also the Dorim and Mokgam streams, which are tributaries of the Anyang stream, will be restored to be more ecologically sound rivers. The degree of air pollution in Guro District is about 0.004ppm of sulphuric acid gas and 0.4ppm of nitrogen monoxide, much lower than the average level of Seoul Metropolitan area and the WHO standard.

Among many welfare administrative services, Guro District especially has the u-healthcare and supporting disabled people policy.

The u-healthcare system is the service provided by Guro Public Health Centre's doctors through mobile phones or PDA to patients with diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, respiratory disease and other conditions. Physicians retrieve data for diagnosis and treatment as needed. This service is provided either at home or at the dong office. This is the first time in the country that this kind of service has been executed using a high-tech healthcare system policy. Guro District runs the Welfare and Computer Education Centres for the disabled, lends equipment for low-income disabled, supports in-house repairing and provides many other facilities that made the district the top disabled supporter for the last 4 consecutive years among the 25 districts of Seoul.

The Korea Transportation Safety Authority operates the Aviation Safety Center in Guro District.[13]

Guro Cultural Foundation is the district level umbrella organization for all cultural activities in the district.[16] It manages numerous facilities within the distinct which host a range of musical, theatrical and other cultural groups. The most recently opened facility is the Sindorim Opera House which is located next to and above Sindorim Station.[17]

Guro district is home to one of two the town chinatowns in Seoul, the other being in Gwangjin district. The Guro chinatown straddles the border between Guro district and Yeongdeungpo district and strectches from Dearim-dong to the north to Namguro in the south.[18] The area is known for containing a significant number of Chinese restaurants and shops which primarily cater to the Chinese expatriate community in the area. This is particularly concentrated at Uma 2-gil, known as Yeonbyeon Street.[19] Namguro Market serves as the focal point for shopping in the area and is adjacent to Namguro station on Seoul Metro Line 7.

Guro district is home to Gocheok Sky Dome, a baseball venue which opened in 2015. It the home of KBO club Kiwoom Heroes. Since opening the stadium has been used extensively for national and international baseball events. The stadium has also hosted numerous international music concerts with performers such as Sam Smith, Queen and U2 all playing at the venue.[20]

While the Gyeongbu line runs through Guro district, Korail does not serve or operate any stations in the district. The closest station is Yeongdeungpo station, approximately 1.5 km north east of Sindorim station.

There are two major metro interchanges within Guro district - Sindorim Station (Lines 1 and 2) and Daerim (Lines 2 and 7). Sindorim station is one of the busiest transfer points in Seoul with over 320,000 people using the station daily.[21]

• Seoul Subway Line 1 (Gyeongbu Line)

(Yeongdeungpo-gu) ← Sindorim — Guro → (Geumcheon-gu)

• Seoul Subway Line 1 (Gyeongin Line)

(Yeongdeungpo-gu) ← Sindorim — Guro — Guil — Gaebong — Oryu-dong — Onsu → (Bucheon)

• Seoul Metro

• Seoul Subway Line 2 Circle Line

(Dongjak-gu) ← Guro Digital Complex — Daerim — Sindorim → (Yeongdeungpo-gu)

• Seoul Subway Line 2 Sinjeong Branch

Sindorim — Dorimcheon → (Yangcheon-gu)

• Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation

• Seoul Subway Line 7

(Yeongdeungpo-gu) ← Namguro → (Geumcheon-gu) — (Gwangmyeong) ← Cheonwang — Onsu → (Bucheon)

City buses run on major streets and the town buses reach every corner of the district where city buses do not. The Gyeong-in (Seoul-Incheon) motorway runs through Guro District and has a median bus lane system which allows buses to avoid heavy traffic, and the buses that provides services to Incheon International Airport take about one hour from the district.

Guro district is served by two airport limousine bus services. Service 6003 stops at Guro Station, Guro district office and Daerim Station.[22] Service 6018 stops at the Sheraton hotel at Sindorim.[23] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both services are suspended.

Construction of the new high speed commuter rail service, GTX, commenced in 2017. Three separate lines - A, B & C are under construction or in the planning stage. GTX B will, once completed, connect Sondgo, Incheon, in the Southwest and Maseok in Namyangju, in the Northeast. Sindorim will be one of the GTX B stations located within Seoul, along with Yeouido, Yongsan and Seoul Station. Construction of GTX B will commence in 2022.

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