Exploring Sejong Lake Park Through 5 Islands and an 8.8 km Waterside Trail

From the Partial Opening in 2012 to the Full Opening on May 2, 2013

Sejong Lake Park is an artificial lake park created in the center of the Multifunctional Administrative City. After partially opening on December 3, 2012, it fully opened on May 2, 2013. It can be seen as an example of creating a waterside public space within the new urban living area around the Government Complex Sejong and the National Library of Sejong.

The park covers 697,246㎡, with a lake surface area of 322,800㎡, a storage volume of 508,000 tons, and an average depth of 1.5 m. Since its creation, it has combined walking, performances, water activities, and wetland observation in one space, so it is more efficient to choose which islands and facilities to visit rather than simply walk one full circuit of the lake.

A Two-Hour Route Choosing Five Islands on a 697,246㎡ Lake

For a first visit, it is best to allow around two hours, connecting the Central Plaza, Water Stage Island, Mulgkot Island, and Wetland Island in that order. The park's entire walking trail is 8.8 km, so walking every section requires more time and energy; a separate 4.7 km bicycle path is also available.

Water Stage Island has a 672-seat performance venue shaped like pebbles from the Geumgang River, while Festival Island is an independent island created for cultural and artistic events. Water Play Island has 50 cm-deep water-play facilities and a sandy beach. Mulgkot Island is an area for viewing aquatic plants along a deck path, and Wetland Island is an area for observing aquatic plants and wetland ecosystems.

• Short visit: 60–90 minutes centered on the Central Plaza, Water Stage Island, and Cheongeum Falls
• Plants and deck paths: 2 hours including Mulgkot Island and Wetland Island
• For walking: 2.5–3 hours taking a broader route around the themed trails and lakeshore

05:00–23:00; Fountain Hours Differ in May and October and from June to September

Sejong Lake Park is open year-round from 05:00 to 23:00, and admission is free. The park lights are on from 05:00 until before sunrise and from after sunset until 23:00. The landscape lighting at the Water Stage and Seho Bridge also operates from after sunset until 23:00. For inquiries, contact the Parks Management Division of the Sejong Facilities Management Corporation at 044-850-4370.

Fountain schedules vary by season. Hope Fountain, Festival Fountain, and Buoyancy Fountain operate at 12:00 on weekdays and at 14:00 and 16:00 on weekends and public holidays in May and October. During the hot-weather period from June to September, they operate at 19:00 on weekdays and at 19:00 and 20:00 on weekends and public holidays, with each session lasting about 20 minutes. As schedules may change or be suspended depending on weather and site conditions, it is safest to check the park notices again before setting out if the fountains are your main destination.

970 Spaces at Parking Lots 1, 2, and 3, and the Actual Entry Points for B2 and Bus 801

The address is 216 Dasom-ro, Sejong Special Self-Governing City (Sejong-dong). Cars can use three parking lots with a total of 970 spaces. Parking Lot 1 has 431 spaces: 396 general spaces, 33 accessible spaces, and 2 electric-vehicle charging spaces. Parking Lot 2 has 239 spaces, and Parking Lot 3 has 300. From the Daejeon direction, navigation to Parking Lot 1 follows Bukyuseong-daero, Galmae-ro, and Junganggongwonseo-ro. From the capital region, navigation to Parking Lot 2 follows Jeongan-Sejong-ro, Galmae-ro, and Doum 6-ro.

For public transportation, the official guidance recommends taking B2 from Bansuk Station in Daejeon, getting off at the Government Complex Sejong stop, and walking for about 10 minutes. From Jochiwon Station, take Bus 801 and get off at the Parking Lot 3 stop. From Gongju, one route is to take Bus 108, transfer to Bus 52 or 53, and get off at Parking Lot 3. Another route is to transfer to Bus 203, 204, or 222 and get off at the National Library of Sejong stop.

When Using Water Play Island, Tandem Bikes, and Songdammanri Café

The water depth at Water Play Island is listed as 50 cm, but its seasonal opening schedule is separate from the park's general hours. If water-play facilities are your destination, check the operating dates and safety rules in that year's notices first. Entering the lake is prohibited, so visitors must not enter the water anywhere along the shore outside Water Play Island.

The specialty bicycle rental shop is opposite Parking Lot 1 and operates from 13:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 19:30 on weekends and public holidays. It may operate on a flexible schedule during heat waves and may close in rainy weather. The phone number is 010-7799-5280. Songdammanri Café near Windy Hill is open from 10:00 to 19:00 and closed every Monday, while Shop 1 near the management center is open year-round from 11:00 to 21:00.

No Fishing, Cooking, or Drones; Dogs Must Be Kept on Leashes No Longer Than 2 m

It is best to keep picnic preparations simple. Bringing in fire-producing equipment such as portable gas stoves, cooking, fishing, entering the water, using drones, driving vehicles into the park, and parking outside designated areas are prohibited. Visitors must take their trash with them, and camping, cooking, and making fires may be subject to a fine of up to 100,000 won under the applicable regulations.

Visitors with pets must keep leashes within 2 m and clean up after them; muzzles are mandatory for dangerous dogs. Bicycles must use the designated bicycle paths. Visitors with strollers or wheelchairs can reduce the distance burden by planning a route mainly along the relatively flat Central Plaza and lakeside decks and making a round trip from near Parking Lot 1 to Water Stage Island instead of covering the full 8.8 km.

An Evening Combined with the National Library of Sejong, with a Plan to Return Before 23:00

The official smart leaflet for the lake park also lists the nearby Sejong National Arboretum and the rooftop garden of the Government Complex Sejong as tourist attractions. Since facilities with different characters follow one another—from Mulgkot Island and the Water Stage in the lake park to exercise and play areas toward Central Park—it is best to visit nearby cultural facilities during the day and move to the lakeside around sunset rather than stay in one place for too long.

For nighttime visits, the Standard is after sunset, when the landscape lighting comes on, but the park and lighting operations end at 23:00. Around 100,000 people gathered in the lake park area during the Sejong Nakhwa Festival held on May 16, 2026, and news reports mentioned congestion in some sections as a challenge. On major event days, it is advisable to plan for crowded parking lots and waterside walking paths by using public transportation or arriving early.

An Order That Does Not Miss the 672-Seat Water Stage Island and Cheongeum Falls

If you want to see both the photographs and the performance venue layout, a practical order is to start at the Central Plaza and first connect the Maehwa Performance Hall, Water Stage Island, and Cheongeum Falls. The Water Stage Island venue has 672 seats, and Cheongeum Falls is connected to Cheongeumji, a small lake above it, making it easy to include in a short walking route.

The park has walking sections with different names, including Pine Tree Path, Cherry Tree Path, Ginkgo Tree Path, Chitalpa Tree Path, Wild Grass Path, Nadle Forest, Autumn Foliage Forest, and Apricot Tree Path. If a particular species or seasonal sight such as cherry blossoms or autumn foliage is your main goal, check the park news and local weather information just before visiting, as flowering and foliage periods may vary each year.