International Urban Regional Cooperation Program Hosted by the EU Opens
From the left, Kim Gyuryong, Director of Seoul Transportation Policy Division; Christopher Mangira, Deputy Director of Dublin City Transportation Department's Mobility Activation Program; Brendan O'Brien, Director of Dublin City Transportation Technical Services; Leslie Moore, Director of Dublin City Parks Department; Christoph Besse, Counselor at the EU Delegation to Korea.
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold an international exchange event to promote sustainable urban development plans and Seoul's excellent transportation policies.
On the 31st, Seoul announced that it will participate in the International Urban and Regional Cooperation program (IURC) hosted by the EU until the 2nd of next month to showcase Seoul's outstanding transportation policies. A delegation from Dublin, Ireland, a partner city cooperating since 2021, visited in person to experience firsthand Seoul's advanced public transportation and the policy achievements in pedestrian and bicycle transportation, which have emerged as part of living transportation welfare in this leading transportation city.
The EU-hosted International Urban and Regional Cooperation program (IURC) has been promoted since 2016 to enhance urban cooperation and build cooperative relationships with non-European Union cities. It has shared excellent policy cases with cities including Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Suwon.
Seoul has been recognized for its innovative public transportation reforms and eco-friendly, sustainable transportation policy achievements, actively building international cooperation networks, including serving as the chair city of the UITP Asia-Pacific Regional Government Committee (UITP AP OAP, chaired by Baek Ho, Director of Seoul City Urban Transportation Office).
In this program, themed on ecological transition, urban redevelopment, innovation, and economic growth, the Dublin delegation will visit Seoul's transportation sites for policy exchange. Brendan O'Brien, Director of Transportation Technology Services, and Leslie Moore, Director of the Parks Department, will attend, along with representatives from the EU Delegation to Korea and CityNet, sharing ideas on urban cooperation methods.
The delegation will begin their field visits in earnest from the 30th. First, they will visit the world's first 'METRO Farm' installed in a subway station (Sangdo Station on Line 7) to observe the advanced subway operation environment. They will also tour the recycled bicycle sales store (Light Brothers), the public bicycle rental system 'Ddareungi' management center to observe bicycle activation sites, and the Seoul Transportation Information Center 'TOPIS,' a comprehensive transportation control center, to examine the science- and information-based transportation information system.
Additionally, they will walk along Sejong-daero Sarang Forest Path, experiencing Seoul's representative pedestrian street that connects the city center as one. They will experience Seoul's transportation policy philosophy centered on people rather than vehicles and the accompaniment of vulnerable groups, as well as the pedestrian culture where history and culture breathe, such as at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Kim Gyu-ryong, Director of the Transportation Policy Division, said, “Seoul leads the world's best public transportation system and various transportation policies that enhance citizens' lives, practicing the values of sustainability and eco-friendliness. We will continue to strive to promote the excellence of Seoul's transportation, which embodies a citizen-centered philosophy, through active international exchanges.”
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