A Half-Day Walk Through Gwangju’s Advanced District, from Ssangam Park Lake to the Science Museum

Why the High-Tech District, Developed in 1995, Combines Industrial Complexes and Residential Areas

Gwangju Cheomdan District is an area where the Bia-dong Cheomdan Branch Office was established in 1991 and which began to be called “Cheomdan District” in 1995. In 2000, it was separated from Bia-dong and became Cheomdan-dong, and in 2003 it expanded into Cheomdan 1-dong and Cheomdan 2-dong. Therefore, it is more accurate to understand this area not as the alleys of an old urban center, but as a post-1990s new-town landscape of Gwangju, planned to combine research institutions, industrial complexes, apartment complexes, and neighborhood commercial areas.

Maeunnal Cheomdan, at the designated coordinates of 30 Cheomdanjungang-ro 106beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, is located within the commercial district along Cheomdanjungang-ro. After a meal in this area, you can move to Ssangam Park, and by bus combine a visit to the National Gwangju Science Museum or Wolgye-dong Janggobun. This allows you to compare the science-and-industry-city character implied by the name “Cheomdan” with the area’s ancient ruins on the same day.

A 40-Minute First Look at Ssangam Park’s 146 Benches and Lake Island

The outdoor reference point in Cheomdan District is Ssangam Park, at 39 Cheomdanjungang-ro 182beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu. According to Gwangju tourism information, the park is open at all times, has no holidays, and is free to enter. Management inquiries can be made to Gwangsan-gu Office at 062-960-8225, and the park also has parking facilities. Since this is an outdoor park without a timetable, allowing around 40 minutes before or after a meal to walk mainly along the lakeside, past the fountain, and around the island is a practical plan.

The park has 146 benches, three restroom facilities, three combination playgrounds, a lawn plaza, and fitness facilities. A total of 240 Yoshino cherry trees have been planted, so the number of visitors taking walks to see the blossoms may increase in spring. Pets are allowed, but the park’s notices, events, and fountain operations may vary according to the season and management schedule, so it is safer to contact Gwangsan-gu before setting out.

Buses Dividing Between Ssangam Park and Gwangju Design Center Stops

Around Ssangam Park, you need to choose the bus stop name according to your destination. At the Korea Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute stop, routes Cheomdan 193, Unnim 51, Cheomdan 30, Cheomdan 23, and Maewol 16 stop. At the Gwangju Design Center stop, route Songjeong 33 stops, while at the GIST stop, routes Unnim 51, Songjeong 33, Cheomdan 193, Cheomdan 23, Cheomdan 30, and Maewol 16 stop.

At the Gwangju Traffic Broadcasting stop, you can take Munheung 39, Cheomdan 40, and Bongseon 27. If you are coming from Gwangju Songjeong Station, Songjeong 33 provides access to the Cheomdan area, while from U-Square Gwangju Bus Terminal, the Cheomdan 09 express bus connects toward Cheomdan. Bus intervals and detours may change, so immediately before departure, check the stop name and estimated arrival time again through Gwangju Bus information.

• Korea Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute: Cheomdan 193 · Unnim 51 · Cheomdan 30 · Cheomdan 23 · Maewol 16
• Gwangju Design Center: Songjeong 33
• GIST: Unnim 51 · Songjeong 33 · Cheomdan 193 · Cheomdan 23 · Cheomdan 30 · Maewol 16
• Gwangju Traffic Broadcasting: Munheung 39 · Cheomdan 40 · Bongseon 27

National Gwangju Science Museum 09:30–17:30: Why to Avoid Mondays

If you plan to include a science museum in your Cheomdan District itinerary, the National Gwangju Science Museum is located at 235 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju. The main building is open from 09:30 to 17:30, ticket sales close at 16:30, and it is closed every Monday. The central information desk can be reached at 062-960-6210–1, and the official website is https://www.sciencecenter.or.kr. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, admission fees and session schedules for the planetarium, special exhibitions, and educational programs may differ, so after choosing your date, check the reservation page for the relevant program.

From the National Gwangju Science Museum stop, you can take Cheomdan 09, Cheomdan 30, Geumho 46, Unnim 51, Cheomdan 193, and Munheung 39. The Amkor Korea stop is served by Cheomdan 20, while the Cheomdan Samsung Electronics stop is served by Cheomdan 40, Cheomdan 92, and Cheomdan 94. The children’s playground is limited to 180 people per session and 130 people for groups, and group organizations must make advance reservations. Group-visit inquiries can be made at 062-960-6210.

AI Exhibitions and a 12 m Dome: Easily Missed Visiting Conditions at the Science Museum

The Artificial Intelligence Hall at the National Gwangju Science Museum is presented as a space where visitors can experience immersive AI content created through the achievements of regional research institutions. It includes following an AI dancer, playing music with AI, “Urban Mission Mayhem,” an experience of autonomous-driving principles, and an AI baduk robot based on reinforcement learning. It is therefore better to leave time for these experiences rather than simply viewing the building’s exterior and leaving.

Viewing a planetarium dome film may be restricted unless you purchase a separate ticket for admission to the main building. In the 2025 dome film festival example, the conditions included a 12 m dome screen, a minimum height of 110 cm, an education fee of 2,000 won, and a capacity of 99 people. These were conditions for that event, not a permanent price list, so be sure to check the height restriction, screening time, and additional fee for the program on your visit date separately.

Wolgye-ro 155’s Janggobun: A Place to Encounter the Fifth and Sixth Centuries Before Cheomdan’s Development

The fact that Cheomdan District was developed in the 1990s becomes clearer when you also visit Wolgye-dong Janggobun. Janggobun is located at 155 Wolgye-ro, Gwangsan-gu, and materials from the Gwangju Cultural Foundation describe the tomb’s occupant as a person from the fifth or sixth century. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture summarizes that Wolgye-dong Janggobun was designated a Gwangju Metropolitan City Monument in 1994.

The area around Janggobun was originally low hills beside the plains of the upper Yeongsan River, but after the Cheomdan Industrial Complex was developed, it came to lie in the middle of an urban district. Chonnam National University Museum conducted excavation surveys twice, in 1993 and 1995. Because an ancient tomb remains within a newly created residential area formed through urban development, it is easy to miss this historic site if you plan to see only the lake park and commercial district.

A Three-and-a-Half-Hour Route Starting at Maeunnal Cheomdan

For a first visit, a reliable approach is to set your meal time first at 30 Cheomdanjungang-ro 106beon-gil, where Maeunnal Cheomdan is located, then walk around Ssangam Park for about 40 minutes, move to a bus stop, and visit the National Gwangju Science Museum. Since admission to the main building closes at 16:30, it is best to aim to arrive at the science museum by around 15:30 at the latest when including the exhibitions in your itinerary.

Visitors using cars can find parking information for both Ssangam Park and the science museum, but the number of spaces, fees, and event-day controls could not be confirmed in this article. Visitors with strollers or wheelchairs can refer to information on the designated accessible parking spaces, accessible restrooms, main entrance access, and pedestrian-route assistance at Ssangam Park. The park is also accessible by public transportation, while the science museum has separate conditions for group and children’s-facility use, so families should check whether reservations are required first.

• Ssangam Park: Free · Open at all times · No holidays
• National Gwangju Science Museum: 09:30–17:30, ticket sales close at 16:30, closed Mondays
• Recommended time: Park 40 minutes, science museum 90–120 minutes, Janggobun 20–30 minutes
• Total recommended time: Approximately 3.5–5 hours, including travel