---
title: "Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD), Seoul — Class A submarket"
description: "Seoul's historic corporate spine."
canonical: https://classa.info/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun
pageType: neighborhood
lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)."
---

> Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) is a trophy-tier Class A submarket of Seoul with average asking rent around ₩130,000/pyeong/mo · ≈ $31.6 PSF/yr USD.

## TL;DR

- Historic CBD.
- Government and banking tilt.
- Strong Metro coverage.

# Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD), Seoul — Class A submarket

*Seoul's historic corporate spine.* · Tier: trophy · Avg rent: ₩130,000/pyeong/mo · ≈ $31.6 PSF/yr USD

## TL;DR

- Historic CBD.
- Government and banking tilt.
- Strong Metro coverage.

## Overview

The historic CBD anchored by Gwanghwamun and Jongno. Government, banking, and corporate HQs.

## Tenant profile

Government, banking, professional services, conglomerate HQs.

## Typical specification

20-40,000 sqft floor plates.

## Transit

Gwanghwamun (Line 5), City Hall (Lines 1/2), Jonggak (Line 1).

Best multi-line Metro access in Seoul.

## Amenities

Gyeongbokgung, Cheonggyecheon, Jongno retail.

## Comparable buildings

- **Centropolis** [](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Centropolis%2C%2026%20Ujeongguk-ro%2C%20Jongno-gu%2C%20Seoul%2C%20Jongno%20%2F%20Gwanghwamun%20(CBD)%2C%20Seoul%2C%20South%20Korea&query_place_id=ChIJY8WS1OKjfDURgCTQieVryeM)

## Where Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) sits in Seoul

Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) is one of 6 [Class A](/glossary/class-a) submarkets we cover in Seoul, classified as [trophy tier](/topics/trophy-asset-selection) with an average asking rent around ₩130,000/pyeong/mo · ≈ $31.6 PSF/yr USD. Compared with the broader Seoul Class A stock, Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) typically attracts Government, banking, professional services, conglomerate HQs and competes most directly with the city's other trophy submarkets on building specification, transit access, and [amenitisation](/glossary/amenitisation).

Adjacent submarkets to study alongside Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD): [Yeouido (YBD)](/cities/seoul/yeouido), [Gangnam (GBD)](/cities/seoul/gangnam), [Seongsu](/cities/seoul/seongsu), [Magok](/cities/seoul/magok). The full Seoul submarket atlas is at [/cities/seoul](/cities/seoul).

## Topic deep-dives for Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD)

For an institutional Class A occupier evaluating Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD), the highest-leverage analyses to commission next are the rent benchmark, the concession-package comparable, and the ESG performance baseline. Class A Atlas covers each as a dedicated topic page for this submarket:

- [Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) — ](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun/rents-and-availability)
- [Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) — ](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun/tenant-profile)
- [Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) — ](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun/transit-and-commute)
- [Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) — ](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun/amenity-and-lifestyle)
- [Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) — ](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun/trophy-and-comparables)
- [Jongno / Gwanghwamun (CBD) — ](/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun/fit-out-and-spec)

## Related glossary

Terminology specific to Seoul Class A leasing and to the trophy tier: [Class A](/glossary/class-a), [Trophy asset](/glossary/trophy-asset), [Effective rent](/glossary/effective-rent), [Concession package](/glossary/concession-package), [TI allowance](/glossary/ti-allowance), [Submarket tier](/glossary/submarket-tier).

## Editorial provenance

Reviewed by [**Kenji Watanabe**](/about/authors/kenji-watanabe) — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards).

### Primary sources for this page

- [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE
- [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL
- [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield
- [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills
- [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers

[Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections)

## Related topics

- [**Class A Lease Negotiation**](/topics/class-a-lease-negotiation) — How to negotiate a Class A office lease — the playbook from LOI to signed deal.
- [**Hybrid Workplace Strategy**](/topics/hybrid-workplace-strategy) — How to size, structure, and lease a Class A office for a hybrid workforce.
- [**ESG / LEED for Tenants**](/topics/esg-leed-tenants) — How tenants evaluate, negotiate, and report on ESG performance in a Class A office lease.
- [**Cross-border Expansion**](/topics/cross-border-expansion) — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies.
- [**Fit-out Capex**](/topics/fit-out-capex) — How to budget, sequence, and govern Class A office [fit-out](/topics/fit-out-capex)">fit-out capex.
- [**Lease vs Flex**](/topics/lease-vs-flex) — When premium flex (coworking, [managed office](/glossary/managed-office)) beats a conventional Class A lease — and vice versa.

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Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/cities/seoul/jongno-gwanghwamun), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.