Seoul City and GS Engineering & Construction Join Hands to Create Corporate Companion Garden for Seoul International Garden Expo

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is briefing on the plan to host the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo at Seoul City Hall in November last year. Photo by Yonhap News

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on January 23 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GS Engineering & Construction to create a "Corporate Companion Garden" at Seoul Forest, aiming for the successful hosting of the Seoul International Garden Expo.

This agreement was established to expand green spaces in the city through public-private cooperation and to create garden environments where citizens can comfortably spend time in their daily lives. Under the agreement, the city will provide the site within Seoul Forest for the Corporate Companion Garden, while GS Engineering & Construction will serve as the partner responsible for its creation. GS Engineering & Construction plans to build an urban lounge-style rest garden, tentatively named "Elysian Forest," around the Seoul Forest lawn plaza, reflecting the landscaping philosophy of its residential brand, Xi. The Elysian Forest is GS Engineering & Construction’s garden concept inspired by the natural and ecological landscape of Jeju’s Gotjawal Forest. The company plans to develop the space as a relaxation area by arranging shaded spots and wind corridors throughout the garden.

The Seoul International Garden Expo will be held for the longest period ever, from May 1 to October 27, in Seoul Forest and the Seongsu-dong area. The Corporate Companion Garden will showcase a high-quality garden leveraging the company’s capabilities and expertise.

Kim Younghwan, Director of the Garden City Bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "By creating a special garden that encompasses a company’s philosophy, relaxation, landscaping, and user convenience, the Seoul International Garden Expo will become even richer. We will continue to collaborate with the private sector to create gardens so that citizens visiting Seoul Forest can enjoy the changing scenery of the gardens in every season and experience nature up close in their daily lives."