[Korea Report] Seoul Central Mosque is a tourist attraction

Seoul Central Mosque located in Itaewon, Seoul (Photo: Meidyana Rayana)

Korea is a homogenous country and its majority religions are Buddhism, followed by Christianity. But as Korea grows as one of world’s advanced countries, more and more people from various countries come and live in Korea.

Seoul as the capital city of Korea feels much different since then. Area for foreigners such as in Itaewon and area like Ansan that is populated by immigrant workers, were created.

As Korea is open to the world, many people came to live and work in Korea.

Foreigners go for prayer on weekdays in Seoul Central Mosque (Photo: Meidyana Rayana)

The integration between locals and foreigners was considered in the construction of the beautiful Mosque building in Seoul.

The only Mosque in Seoul is located in Itaewon. The building is grandiose with high ceiling and Middle East architecture.

Seoul Central Mosque was built in 1976 and now complete with a building that is used as a kindergarten inside the mosque complex.

The main gate is tall, built of wall covered with Middle East designed tails, with Korean Hanguel written above the wall, quoting a Koran’s verse saying, “There is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah.”

Inside Seoul Central Mosque Building (Photo:Meidyana Rayana)

The Ustadz (Teacher in Arabic) is a Korean and most of the people going there to pray are those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia as well as a number of Muslim Koreans.

The mosque has on average 20 to 30 worshipers during the weekdays, but the number jumps to hundreds on Fridays and the weekends when there is a joint service, according to Visit Korea’s website.

Students with uniform come to visit Seoul Central Mosque (Photo: Meidyana Rayana)

The mosque has become one of attractions in Itaewon for locals. People go there to take pictures and to get to know Muslim culture.

One group of middle school girls along with their teacher came to visit Seoul Mosque to see the beauty of the building as well as the culture captured through it.

Students change their skirt to a longer one to be appropriate to enter the mosque (Photo: Meidyana Rayana)

To enter the mosque, people need to wear a proper wardrobe like those that is not revealing. For women, their dresses should have sleeves and cover the legs.

Most of Korean women are dressed up sophisticatedly and trendily because they do not have any such rules on dressing up. Therefore, the students who came wearing above knee length uniform will have to change their skirts to longer ones.

Aware of this matter, the Mosque manager provided long skirts visitors can borrow in their visit to enter the mosque building.

Meidyana Rayana Intern Reporter news@theasian.asia