I went out to Gwanghwamun and looked around City Hall Square. I met travelers or international students from Canada, Austria, Israel, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Malaysia. I heard from them the pros and cons of City Hall Plaza. Unfortunately, South Korea continues to be a country with a tourism deficit. So, wherever I go, I make sure to look for improvements. This time was no exception.

Unexpectedly, I met a Canadian traveler who was the daughter of a Korean War veteran. There was an unfamiliar woman who was seriously looking at black and white photos in front of the waving flags around the press center. She stroked the photo affectionately. He was thrilled and said, “My father was a soldier who fought in the Korean War.” He took out an old photo from his pocket and showed it to me. We hugged for a moment.

There are also chairs that look like rubber balloons in the city hall plaza. Travelers were also sitting comfortably and chatting. Male students from Austria were also taking a break. A young man studying abroad at Korea University in Anam-dong, and a friend from his hometown came to Seoul for a trip. “Isn’t this place in City Hall Square a place to read books? The music seems a little loud.” The young men were holding branded disposable coffee that they had bought somewhere.

A white woman who looked like a French woman was singing a nice chanson. It felt a little noisy to those who were resting comfortably. Foreigners also pointed that out. Some tourists advised that it would be nice to have a place where they could buy and eat snacks such as coffee, sandwiches, and ice cream. It will become a more memorable place, especially if there are snacks for children.

An old gentleman photographer from Hungary said, “This place is colorful and good for taking pictures.” This is because it looks peaceful. The fact that Seoul and City Hall Square are cozy in early fall also means that Korea is that safe. The war between Palestine and Israel, which broke out in October 2023, has continued for a year. Before we knew it, more than 14,000 innocent children had died in the Gaza Strip.

Across Gaza, approximately 1.1 million children face severe food insecurity. Even humanitarian aid is facing many difficulties due to Israel's bombing and the closure of access roads for relief supplies. After the war, all schools are closed. Therefore, more than 620,000 students in the Gaza Strip are shaking in fear without even receiving proper education.

I also met an Israeli family who traveled to Korea with their three daughters. They were very heartbroken by this global war. I was curious about how you view Palestine and reality. “Personally, I thought of the Palestinian people as our global neighbors, but now we are at war. They are clearly our enemies.” He expressed his sincerity to them, saying, "To me, both Palestinians and Israelis are precious neighbors around the world. No one should die because of war."

Gwanghwamun is the face of Seoul. So, we need to know what foreigners coming from all over the world feel, what they like, what they dislike, and what they are uncomfortable with. Whether it is the Korea Tourism Organization or the Seoul Metropolitan Government, they often entrust work to subcontractors without visiting the site. There are many events that can be fun or meaningful. There is still room for improvement. A ‘marketplace for coexistence with local communities’ has been created next to City Hall Square. Since they did business only in Korean, they could not attract attention.

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