Seoul named 10 individuals and companies as recipients of its inaugural Seoul Design Honors, recognizing projects that have improved public spaces, strengthened the city's identity and made everyday life safer and more accessible for residents. The Seoul Metropolitan Government held the first 2026 Seoul Design Honors ceremony Tuesday at City Hall, presenting mayoral commendations to four individuals and six companies selected from 49 nominations. The honors were established to recognize contributions to design development and encourage work that puts people at the center of urban design, drawing inspiration from two Korean cultural achievements: the angbuilgu, an ancient sundial, and "Hunminjeongeum," the original Korean alphabet. The individual recipients are Kim Hyun-jung, Jung Mi, Ahn Jang-won and Cho Yong-jun, all of whom have done work that has helped shape major public spaces and improve the city's design standards. Their projects include improvements to the Han River waterfront, lighting designs for landmark buildings, safety design guidelines, public information systems and urban