Chang, Seok Hyo, Vice Mayor, Seoul Metropolitan Government
| DATE: | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 |
|---|---|
| TIME: | 10:30 AM |
| PLACE: | IEAS Conference Room, 2223 Fulton Street, 6th Floor |
| FORMAT: | Colloquium |
| SPONSORS: | Center for Korean Studies |
Colloquium in Korean
"The restoration of the stream will provide an interesting case to see if a city can replace concrete jungles with green spaces" (Reuters, Oct. 1, 2005).
"A landmark experiment, which is restoring the flowing clean water and green landscape of the stream by demolishing a covered road on which approximately 170,000 vehicles pass per day" (Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 21, 2004).
The original name of the Cheonggyecheon was "Gaechon," meaning, "Open Stream." It is an urban stream flowing from west to east through the center of Seoul. Ever since Seoul was designated as the capital during the Choson Dynasty in 1394, this stream has played a symbolic role in Korean society. Nevertheless, construction of the so-called "Cheonggyecheon Highway" commenced in August, 1967 and ended in August, 1971. This construction project effectively erased this important cultural heritage property.
The stream's restoration work by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, launched in July, 2003, is now complete. The 5.8 kilometer-long stream, which had been buried in concrete for half a century, was reborn on October 1, 2005. The Cheonggyecheon restoration project has proven to be a remarkable model of ecological restoration work for metropolises. As the Discovery Channel titled its Cheonggyecheon documentary, "Man-Made Marvels, Seoul Searching" (aired in October, 2005), the project is also expected to enhance the city's globally attractive investment possibilities and to transform the area into another tourist magnet. Today Vice Mayor Chang as the project team leader will talk about his experiences in carrying out this remarkable project and will discuss its implications for similar projects both in Korea and in other countries as well.
Free and open to the public. Presentation in Korean.
