The Soul of Seoul: A River Restoration Project with a Big Impact

By guest blogger Nora Lewis Allen

Recently in Seoul, South Korea, the government undertook a 384 million dollar project to uncover the Cheonggyecheon stream. The stream was the centerpiece of the Choson Dynasty 600 years ago and remained at the heart of Seoul city and culture until it was covered by an elevated highway.
The newly uncovered Cheonggyecheon River

The restoration project had numerous affects that were beneficial to not only the aesthetics of the city but the health of its residents as well. After removing three miles of elevated highway, the amount of air pollution in that section of the city went from 74 to 48 micrograms/m³. Moreover, the air temperature is now five degrees cooler in the area that surrounds the river.

Though the environmental impact has been incredible, the human element of the project has been unprecedented. About 90,000 pedestrians visit and walk along-side the river per day and Lee In-keun, who headed the project, commented that by uncovering the Cheonggyecheon, Seoul “changed from a car-oriented city to a human-oriented city.”
River patrons enjoy the stream

Restoration projects like that of the Cheonggyecheon River are popping up all over the world. In Yonkers, New York they are currently raising funds to uncover the Saw Mill River. Also, the recent restoration of the Manhattan High Line has turned the old railroad into a beautiful and extremely popular park.
The newly restored Manhattan High Line

These projects show a new drive to bring more beauty and natural elements to cities, and prove that you don’t have to sacrifice the pleasure of being outdoors while living in the city. Not only is there a proliferation of new parks, but people are visiting them in the thousands, substantiating the idea that no matter where you are there is always a new place to explore.
Manhattan's Central Park, a mecca for urban outdoor enthusiasts