Pohang Greenway Project Achievements and Vision Shared with the World!

Eco-Friendly Policies,
Coexistence of Nature and People,
Leading the Way as a Sustainable Carbon-Neutral City

Pohang Mayor Lee Kangdeok attended the '2025 World Journalists Conference' held at the International Conference Hall of the Korea Press Center in Seoul on the 31st of last month and delivered a special lecture on the theme 'Pohang: A Major Shift from an Industrial City to an Environmental City.'

Kangdeok Lee, Mayor of Pohang, is giving a special lecture on "Pohang, a Great Transformation from an Industrial City to an Environmental City" at the "2025 World Journalists Conference" held at the Korea Press Center on March 31. Provided by Pohang City

Addressing more than 70 foreign journalists from over 50 countries, Mayor Lee explained Pohang's efforts and achievements in transforming from a gray industrial city to a green ecological city, with the Greenway Project as a core policy, and shared the city's future vision.

Since 2016, Pohang has been implementing the Greenway Project, creating large-scale urban forests totaling over 760,000 square meters, equivalent to 107 soccer fields.

Mayor Lee explained that five of these key urban forests have been certified for their carbon absorption capacity and have received approval for greenhouse gas emission trading, demonstrating the city's ongoing efforts to meet the global demand for climate crisis response through carbon neutrality.

He also projected that by 2030, the city will expand its urban forests to cover 4.78 million square meters, equivalent to 670 soccer fields, and expects to certify an annual greenhouse gas carbon absorption of 2,010 tons.

In particular, the signature project, Cheolgil Forest, has become a popular leisure space visited by about 30,000 citizens daily, enhancing the quality of life for residents. Mayor Lee emphasized that the project has also spurred voluntary urban regeneration, with new buildings being constructed in the surrounding area.

Thanks to these achievements, Cheolgil Forest has been recognized as a successful global model for green city development, winning awards such as the UK government-affiliated environmental organization KBT's 'Green Flag Award' and the UN-Habitat Asia Urban Landscape Award.

Mayor Lee presented a future blueprint to further expand people-centered green spaces through the 'Greenway Vision 2030,' aiming to create a pleasant, garden-like city where urban and natural environments are connected, and to strengthen climate crisis response capacity to elevate Pohang to a higher level as a green city.

He also called for active interest and support for the World Green Growth Forum (WGGF), which will be held for the first time this May in conjunction with the construction of the Pohang International Exhibition and Convention Center that began last year. As an international forum addressing the global agenda of 'carbon-neutral green growth,' it will bring together participants from around the world.

Journalists from various countries who attended the lecture expressed great interest in Pohang's proactive eco-friendly policies such as the Greenway Project, noting that the city, previously known mainly as a major steel-producing and high-carbon-emitting city, is now at the forefront of global carbon neutrality and climate change response.

Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, "For sustainable urban growth, it is crucial for industry and the environment to exist in harmony," and added, "We will further expand the Greenway to advance Pohang as an eco-friendly green ecological city where nature and people coexist, leading the way in achieving global carbon neutrality."

Pohang Greenway Project Achievements and Vision Announced Worldwide. Provided by Pohang City

Hosted by the Journalists Association of Korea, the 'World Journalists Conference' has been held annually since 2013, marking its 13th edition this year. The event invites journalists from around the world to promote the policies and brands of the Korean government and local governments, while also discussing global issues and facilitating mutual exchange.

This year, under the theme 'Climate Change and the Role of the Media,' the conference will be held from March 30 to April 5 over seven days and six nights in Seoul, Incheon, Jeju, and other locations.