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civil defence

Why Does Seoul Have So Many Underground Shopping Arcades?

October 27, 2026 by WHY KOREANS ARE
A long underground shopping arcade corridor in central Seoul lined with small shops.

Seoul’s underground shopping arcades were built as air raid shelters and pedestrian tunnels, paid for by giving builders decades of shop rent.

Categories Seoul & Urban Korea Tags civil defence, Euljiro, jihasangga, Myeongdong, Seoul history, small business, underground arcade Leave a comment
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