Solar-lit streets protect pedestrians at night in Seoul's Gyeongnidan area

In the hillside neighborhood of Gyeongnidan-gil, a bustling district framed by Mount Nam and vibrant nightlife, the charm of winding alleys and steep slopes has long come with a quiet hazard: dark, uneven curves where sidewalks blend seamlessly into traffic after sunset.

Now, a community-led simple innovation is lighting the way forward.

Yongsan District said Monday that its initiative to install solar-powered pavement markers along Gyeongnidan-gil was selected by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as a national best practice in public safety.

The project, which placed solar studs along a 940-meter stretch of roadway, traces its roots directly to local residents.

Recognizing the risk to nighttime pedestrians, community members proposed the installation through the district’s participatory budgeting program, a system designed to give citizens a direct voice in how local public funds are spent.

Yongsan District Mayor Kim Kyoung-dae’s administration embraced the proposal, combining the resident initiative with expert consultations in traffic and urban design.

The result was the dep ...