On August 1, 2009, a new square was opened to the public in Gwanghwamun, the southern gate of Gyeongbok Palace. Gwang literally means bright and righteous. Accordingly, Gwanghwamun means "the gate through which the King’s virtuous light shines on the nation."

Gwanghwamun Square, which was once dominated by cars, is now filled with people and has become a place for leisure and cultural activities. It includes features such as "Haetae," "Waterways of History," and statues of famous Korean figures.

Haetae, a symbolic icon of Seoul, is a lion-like horned creature, which appears in Korean myths as a guardian against fire and disasters and is located at the northern end of the Square.

An artificial stream called “Waterways of History” flows on the eastern and western edges of the Square. Historical facts from 1392 to 2008 are engraved on the stone floor of the eastern waterway of the Square. The floor of western waterway is left empty to be recorded with future events.

The Square features statues of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin (1545-1598) and King Sejong (1397-1450). General Yi is considered to be Korea’s greatest admiral as he defeated the Japanese Navy several times during the Joseon Dynasty. King Sejong is known for his invention of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. In front of Admiral Yi’s statue, fountains shoot water into the air in recognition of the naval battles that Yi successfully fought against foreign invaders.