Seoul: Urban Sustainability


Chonggye Stream restoration in Seoul Posted by Picasa

The Chonggyechon stream, which had been covered by pavement and an overpass road for almost 60 years, flows again in downtown Seoul. The stream’s restoration work is complete and it opens to the public today with a festival. It is a remarkable project that many other cities should also consider and learn from.

The Korea Times continues:

"The stream along with nearby cultural and historical attractions is expected to delight Seoul citizens and draw people from other regions and countries who have been waiting to visit the area since the restoration project was launched in July 2003."

Read more on the official hompage.

Coinciding with the opening of the Stream, Seoul has invited mayors from around the world to discuss environmentally-friendly city planning and urban sustainability:

"While recent urban development in cities across the world renewed hopes for a more prosperous future, urban problems, such as environmental degradation and social segregation within cities, have become challenging issues," Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak said.

"The Seoul World Mayors Forum will put its emphasis on urban sustainability and revitalization, bringing together a number of scholars and government officials from around the world to make sustainable development a reality," he said.

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