• Goal to remove 89% concrete for natural shore protection with soil and vegetation in 2024, complete restoration by 2025
• Plans to plant 70,000 trees this year to increase greenery across Hangang Park premises by 330% (3.65 million trees)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced that the scale of eco-friendly spaces along the Hangang River continues to grow thanks to the full-scale implementation of the first core strategy of the Great Hangang Project of harmonizing nature with the Hangang River over the past year.

Otters (Endangered Wildlife Class I and Natural Monument No. 33) and Eurasian eagle-owls (Natural Monument No. 324-2) have been seen inhabiting areas around the Hangang River, signaling the recovery of the Hangang River’s natural environment.

The concrete features that once served as shore protection along the river are being replaced with soil and sand in addition to planting common reeds and other vegetation, resulting in the natural restoration of 82% of embankments along the Hangang River, with plans to reach 89% in 2024. During 2023, 80,000 trees were planted at the Hangang River for a total of 3.58 million trees planted to breathe life back into Hangang River forests. This year there are plans for an additional 70,000 trees to expand to 3.65 million trees, representing an estimated 330% increase from the 85,000 trees before the Hangang Renaissance Project in 2007.

• “Hangang forests” refer to forests along the embankments and waterfront of the Hangang River to restore the natural environment, reduce pollution, and address the climate crisis as part of a project to improve the urban environment.
• “Ecological forests” at the waterside raise the level of biological diversity, “recreational forests” are spaces for citizens to use that provide refreshing shade, and “buffer forests” are located near roads to block sound and pollution.