Seoul to hold cleanup festival at Han River park for Resource Circulation Day
A child plays a giant version of Jenga during the "Our Neighborhood Hangang Park Beautification: GREEN Hangang" event in Seoul, June 6. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul will host a two-day environmental festival at Gwangnaru Bicycle Park along the Han River, Saturday and Sunday, combining trash pickup with hands-on activities to mark Resource Circulation Day, observed Sept. 6, the city said.
The event, called "Our Neighborhood Hangang Park Beautification: GREEN Hangang," invites participants to pick up litter, learn proper waste sorting and try upcycling crafts, including making cotton candy powered by pedaling a stationary bike and building musical instruments out of discarded materials.
It builds on an ongoing citizen program in which the Gwangnaru Environmental Volunteer Corps has cleaned the park and removed invasive plants every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday since April, drawing about 900 participants so far; those regular cleanups continue through November. A similar event tied to Environment Day in June drew 1,800 participants.
Organizers said the festival also highlights the Han River's recovering ecosystem, which has recently seen the return of otters and other wildlife.
The event runs across four zones.
In Han River Guardians, participants complete a mission to "rescue" the river's protected animals — including eagle owls, otters, spot-billed ducks and leopard cats — by picking up litter, answering ecology quizzes and completing tasks around the park; 400 spots, 200 per day, are available through advance registration at yeyak.seoul.go.kr, with remaining slots open for walk-ins.
The Experience Zone offers 10 upcycling activities, such as making hats from sugarcane-based paper and building an edible planter from eco-friendly packaging. The Play Zone"geared toward children and families features eight games using recycled materials, including painting egg cartons, drawing on discarded banners and playing percussion on old pots and pans. The Rest Zone offers bean bag chairs for visitors to relax and take in the river view.
The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, with some activities subject to early closure once materials run out.
A Seoul official overseeing the city's Han River park operations said the festival is intended to help make riverside parks a platform where residents learn about and practice environmental protection, not just a place for leisure.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.