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[Herald Economy — Reporter Hong Seung-hee] Seoul’s largest red-light district, “Mia-ri Texas,” in Seongbuk District’s Sinwol-gok 1 zone has closed after roughly 70 years.
Seongbuk District announced on March 26 that businesses in Mia-ri Texas completed relocation in early March and that demolition is now about 90% complete.
At a site inspection and project briefing that day, Seongbuk District Mayor Lee Seung-ro and local representatives removed a marker designating the area as a “No Minors Allowed” zone within the district.
Mia-ri Texas, which developed as a red-light district in the late 1960s, is now the focus of a redevelopment project.
After court-ordered evictions, large-scale demolition began in earnest last November. The Mia-ri Sex Worker Relocation Committee had continued holding weekly rallies demanding compensation until recently.
The redevelopment association and the committee ultimately reached a compensation agreement, and the last remaining business that had been operating and protesting recently completed its eviction.
The Sinwol-gok 1 urban renewal project will combine residential, commercial and public facilities; officials are aiming to break ground this year.
Under the plan, a 3,250 m² cultural park (about 35,000 sq ft) and an 8,940 m² (about 96,200 sq ft) public parking lot with roughly 180 spaces will be built near Exit 10 of Gireum Station.
Within Sinwol-gok 1, the proposal calls for a commercial building of 10 stories above one basement level with a total floor area of 28,700 m² (about 309,000 sq ft), plus 4,170 m² (about 44,900 sq ft) of publicly accessible open space.
Mayor Lee said, “With Mia-ri Texas now fully closed, we are advancing the Sinwol-gok 1 redevelopment project with the goal of starting construction in the second half of 2026,” and added that the plan will secure the necessary infrastructure and commercial amenities.
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