Sejong City and Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute Join Hands to Promote Garden Culture

Promise to Promote a Citizen-Participatory Garden City and More

Chairman Sim Sangtaek of Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute and Mayor Choi Minho of Sejong City, clockwise. / Photo by Garden City Division, Environmental Greenery Bureau

On June 24, Sejong City and the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute signed a memorandum of understanding to promote garden culture, respond to the climate crisis, and enhance biodiversity.

The Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute is a public institution under the Korea Forest Service, established to promote and industrialize the nation's arboretum and garden culture. Under the agreement, the two organizations will strengthen cooperation and support for garden creation and management, and work to spread garden culture through events and citizen participation education in the garden sector.

The two parties will jointly cooperate in the following areas: efforts to expand gardens to enhance urban biodiversity and respond to climate change; fostering and revitalizing local farms that produce garden plants; and operating the National Sejong Arboretum to boost local tourism.

In particular, a practical agreement was also signed, under which the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute will use donations from companies to create gardens on idle sites in Sejong City. This is expected to become a leading example of the public and private sectors working together to transform unused local spaces into citizen-participatory green spaces.

Mayor Choi Minho stated, "In the era of artificial intelligence, people will seek out nature and the environment even more," and added, "Today's agreement marks a very important turning point for Sejong to become a sustainable garden city." He continued, "We will continue to cooperate with the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute to create a garden city where citizens can feel happiness and pride within gardens."

Sim Sangtaek, Chairman of the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute, said, "Gardens are more than just spaces; they are a turning point that adds positive value to the lives of local communities and citizens," and added, "We will strive to build a sustainable garden ecosystem created jointly by the public and private sectors."