“Asian Review 047” ― Seoul part8
Restoration of the Cheonggyecheon Stream
The river that runs through Seoul city is named Cheonggyecheon Stream now became famous for the restoration of a river in the urban area, and I would like to explore it.
In the era of Joseon Dynasty, Cheonggyecheon was a river which divided Bukchon and Namchon, but it eventually became a river used as sewage for drainage of the surrounding household areas. The water quality has further deteriorated as South Korea’s economic growth and urban development in the 1960s, and in addition, barracks of refugees of the Korean war began to gather on the riverbank. In the 1970s, the Seoul City government made the Cheonggyecheon into a culvert, forced the residents to leave and built the Cheonggye elevated road above the river.
In the 2000s, public opinion expecting the restoration of the Cheonggyecheon became louder. Preparing for the mayor’s election held in June 2006, Mr. Lee Myung-bak raised a manifesto promising the “Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project” and was elected. In July 2003, according to the pledge of the new mayor, the project began to be implemented; the aged elevated road was demolished and removed, the river was restored over a total length of approximately 5.8km from Gwanghwamun to the area around Dongdaemun Market,which was completed in September 2005. In 2 years and 3 months, they removed the structure covering the river and finished restoring it to become a normal river, which is a phenomenal speed.
Infrastructure improvement work in order to prevent water quality deterioration was carried out, 400,000 trees were also planted, and a space with a clear stream that shall be loved by citizens was back. It is lit up at night, and the lantern festivals and Christmas festivals are held as well.
In Tokyo, the project to constructed the elevated Shuto-Expressway that runs above Nihonbashi River underground seems to begin finally after 2020. Indeed, landscape with a river flowing is good for us to see, isn’t it?
