Seoul to build world’s 2nd-largest Ferris wheel in 2027

South Korea’s capital city Seoul will build the world’s second-largest Ferris wheel, the Seoul Ring, on a former landfill site by the end of 2027, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Wednesday.

Currently, the Ain Dubai Ferris wheel is the world's largest.

Of spokeless Ferris wheels without a central hub, unlike traditional Ferris wheels, it will become the world’s largest structure.

Building the Ferris wheel shows Seoul’s commitment to environmental improvement and balanced growth across the city, it said in a news conference.

It will be located on a former landfill site in Sangam-dong in western Seoul, which has been transformed into an ecological park.

Similar to the London Eye, the Seoul Ring will offer a panoramic view of Seoul, including the Han River that runs through the city.

The Ferris wheel will be designed to be a 180-meter spokeless structure. It will be 276 meters in height and 12 meters taller than one of Seoul’s landmark towers, the 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul. 

It will accommodate 1,474 visitors per hour and up to 11,792 people per day. On an annual basis, it is expected to attract more than 3.5 million tourists.

The metropolitan government said the structure's design has passed safety assessments conducted by domestic and foreign construction companies, as well as architects.

An underground tunnel will be built to connect the Seoul Ring to the nearby World Cup Park to improve its accessibility.

The city of Seoul is also considering installing gondola lifts and sloped elevators near the structure. 

It will improve public transportation to the Seoul Ring by running buses to and from it, including eco-friendly autonomous vehicles.

Write to Young-yeon Kang at yykang@hankyung.com

Yeonhee Kim edited this article.