On Children's Day, 300,000 People Showed Up for Opening Day

Ordered into existence by presidential directive in 1970, this park's opening day in 1973 drew a crowd of over 300,000 people — a genuinely national event.

Key takeaways

In December 1970, President Park Chung-hee ordered the construction of Children's Grand Park. Construction broke ground in November 1972, and the park opened on May 5, 1973 — the 51st annual Children's Day. Fact The president and first lady attended the morning completion ceremony on opening day, and when the park opened free to the public that afternoon, more than 300,000 citizens and children flooded in. Fact

Unlike most of Seoul's parks, which grew organically or through private development, this one is a landmark example of a children's welfare and entertainment facility built directly by state initiative — a distinctly different origin story.

What to look for on site

Archival photos from opening day compared with today's facilities (see archive materials)
The main-gate layout, which reflects this state-led origin
The memories of generations of visitors who have returned here over the decades

Editorial note

Don't erase the political context surrounding the park's opening — a mass public-welfare project under an authoritarian government. Present it alongside the facility description as a plain fact.