Choi Minho, Mayor of Sejong, Unveils Blueprint for Emphasized "Garden City"

Interim Report on the Establishment and Design of the Master Plan
Vision Proposed: "Han Gaon Tteurak, Blooming Sejong (Tentative)"

Choi Minho, Mayor of Sejong City, has unveiled a concrete blueprint for the garden city concept he has continuously emphasized. An interim report meeting was held for the "Garden City Sejong" master plan, which embodies the value of gardens in protecting citizens' lives in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).

"Garden City Sejong" is known as an ambitious project being promoted from a new perspective after Mayor Choi's attempt to host an international garden city expo last year failed due to budget cuts by the political sector, even after he went on a hunger strike.

According to Sejong City, on the 24th, Mayor Choi Minho, members of the Garden Culture Promotion Committee, who are responsible for advising on the spread of garden culture and the creation of a garden city, and related departments attended an interim report meeting on the establishment and design of the garden city master plan to discuss the progress.

The master plan presented at the meeting reflected suggestions made at the project kickoff meeting and further detailed the vision and implementation strategies for building a garden city. At the meeting, Sam-An Engineering, the agency in charge of the project, proposed the vision "Han Gaon Tteurak, Blooming Sejong (tentative)," which combines the pure Korean word "Han Gaon" meaning "at the center" and "Tteurak" meaning "a space near the home," to encapsulate the value and significance of gardens in citizens' daily lives.

The strategies for realizing the garden city include four key areas: ▲ establishing the foundation for a garden city ▲ strengthening resilience ▲ revitalizing garden culture and the social economy ▲ creating a garden industry ecosystem and completing the city's brand.

To realize these strategies, the plan calls for the creation of more than 100 small-scale gardens focused on residential areas, each reflecting unique city characteristics such as Hangeul-themed and smart gardens, gardens addressing climate crisis, and gardens that support residents' daily lives and communication.

Additionally, there were suggestions to enhance the expansion and sustainability of gardens to create an integrated garden city, utilize this as urban value, and thereby stimulate related industries and induce positive effects on the local economy.

The city plans to gather feedback from citizens and experts through a forum with experts scheduled for November, a resident information session in December, and a workshop in January next year, with the goal of finalizing the master plan and design for the garden city by April next year.