Seokchon Lake in Jamsil Wasn't Originally a Lake

Walking around Seokchon Lake to see the cherry blossoms, did you know it was actually a remnant of a river left behind by people who dammed the Han River in 1971? Jamsil was originally an island with mulberry fields, and the current Jamsil land was formed by blocking the southern Songpa River with soil. The problem is that the remaining water was trapped in a place up to 5.1m higher than the adjacent Han River, and on a sandy bottom where water drains easily. That's why they're still pumping up Han River water to pour into it, with 2,000 tons leaking out daily. In 2011, when Lotte World Tower was being built, the lake's water level noticeably dropped, prompting an investigation by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Beneath your feet is the old riverbed filled with coal briquette ash, and before your eyes is water drawn from the Han River, even today...