Nowon-gu Declares Bicycle-Friendly City and Hosts International Symposium

On the 31st at 3 PM, Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, attended the 'Bicycle-Friendly City Declaration Ceremony and International Symposium' held in the small auditorium on the 6th floor of Nowon District Office.

On the 31st at 3 p.m., Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, attended the 'Bicycle-Friendly City Declaration Ceremony and International Symposium' held in the small auditorium on the 6th floor of Nowon District Office.

The 'Bicycle-Friendly City Declaration Ceremony' and 'International Symposium' were organized to improve the environment for promoting bicycle use and to encourage active participation from residents.

The event was attended by about 180 people, including Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, city council members, members of the Bicycle Federation, and local residents, proceeding in the order of ▲congratulatory speeches ▲declaration ceremony ▲international symposium.

At the declaration ceremony, the district introduced the '10 Major Visions' to leap forward as a bicycle-friendly city, and Han I-ho, President of the Nowon District Bicycle Federation, added significance to the event by presenting shared bicycles using refurbished bicycles.

In the first part of the international symposium, ▲Chris Bruntlett, International Cooperation Officer of the Netherlands Bicycle Friendship Association, and ▲Han Seung-hoon, a researcher participating in the 'Paris 15-Minute City Project,' introduced related policies from the Netherlands and France and proposed ways to apply them to Nowon District.

In the second part, conducted in a discussion format, ▲Professor Yoon Je-yong of Seoul National University chaired the session and led discussions on 'Plans for Creating a Bicycle-Friendly City in Nowon District' based on domestic and international cases.

Panelists included Kim Jin-tae, Director of the Bicycle Culture Social Cooperative; Jung Hyun-mi, Policy Chairperson of the Forest and Sharing Bicycle Citizens Forum; and Park Yong-shin, Head of the Nowon District Carbon Neutrality Promotion Team. Residents also participated freely to share their opinions.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, said, "Bicycles are a key means to practice carbon neutrality in the transportation sector," adding, "We will do our best to use the declaration ceremony and forum as a stepping stone to activate bicycle use and prepare realistic alternatives to achieve carbon neutrality."

The district is constructing Seoul's first Bicycle Culture Center, aiming to start construction in March next year and complete it by April 2026. The building will be a four-story pilotis structure, with ▲the 2nd floor housing a miniature bicycle exhibition cafe, ▲the 3rd floor a VR bicycle experience center, ▲the 4th floor a multipurpose education hall, and ▲the rooftop designed as a garden to create a healing space with a view of Danghyeoncheon Stream.