Seoul's Dobong-gu is launching a new approach to overhauling its overhead cable infrastructure.
Rather than a one-off cleanup, the district plans to restructure its utility pole and cable systems in a more efficient and systematic way — tackling the chronic problem of cables falling back into disarray after maintenance at its root.
The project will consolidate separate electrical entry facilities installed by individual operators into shared equipment, standardize cable routing into buildings, and reconstruct the disorderly web of cables running from multiple poles to multiple buildings into a more efficient configuration.
Work is set to begin this month, targeting the area west of Changwon Elementary School in Chang 5-dong.
Beyond the pilot site, the district plans to accelerate aerial cable maintenance across the area, aiming to complete work in existing zones — including the area around Dobong 1-dong Community Center, the west side of Sinbanghak Middle School in Ssangmun 3-dong, and the west side of Sinchang Market in Chang 2-dong — by November.
To minimize inconvenience to residents during the work, the district will run thorough outreach efforts including banners, public information sessions and advance scheduling notices. A communication system with relevant agencies will also be in place to allow immediate on-site responses to any complaints.
Dobong-gu secured the pilot project through sustained consultations with the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association, actively making the case for the initiative.
Three local governments were selected as pilot sites: Dobong-gu in Seoul, Gangbuk-gu in Seoul, and Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province.
"Being selected for this aerial cable clean zone pilot project means we can now offer residents a safer and more pleasant walking environment," Dobong-gu District Mayor Kim Dong-wook said. "We will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Science and ICT, Korea Electric Power Corporation, telecommunications operators and others to proactively address factors that threaten residents' safety, and do our utmost to make Dobong a district of quality."
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