[Seoul's Future] Fauzer "Seoul is great for walking... Han River accessibility must be improved"

Lecture at the Forum Hosted by Asia Economy on the 29th

"Flooding, accessibility, and ecological protection are the challenges that the Han River faces."

Linguist Robert Fauzer gave a lecture on the 29th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, at the '2023 Seoul Future Forum' hosted by Asia Economy, addressing these issues.

At the forum themed 'The Future of the Han River,' Fauzer said, "Until the Industrial Revolution, rivers only served functional roles such as supplying water or disposing of waste, but in the 20th century, they transformed into urban spaces for relaxation." He added, "In the 21st century, with increased climate awareness through environmental movements and issues of waste and pollution, and growing interest in sustainable energy, rivers have played an important role in city branding."

He continued, "As Seoul's administrative districts expanded, the Han River was included," and explained, "With projects like the Han River Renaissance and securing green spaces, Seoul has become a livable city. The Seoul Metropolitan Government likes the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail as a city good for walking."

However, challenges remain for the Han River. First is the flooding issue. Fauzer said, "When it rains heavily, the Han River still floods, making it impossible for people to live nearby," and added, "Empty spaces are being filled by roads instead of people." He also noted, "With the creation of roads, accessibility to the Han River decreases," and said, "I visited Seonyudo Park and Yeouido Park, and people with mobility difficulties gave up halfway."

As a solution, he suggested preserving green spaces. Fauzer said, "In Dallas, USA, roads near the river were covered, and parks were created on top," and added, "The key is accessibility, and solving the road issue will lead to ecological protection as well." Finally, he emphasized, "There are good walking spaces in Seoul like Cheonggyecheon and the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail," and stressed, "The challenge is how to apply what Seoul has done to the Han River."