Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
New urban botanic park attracts citizens
The tropical climate conservatory at the Seoul Botanic Park, western Seoul, March 27. The park has two conservatories ― the other focusing on the Mediterranean ― as well as arboretums and several theme gardens. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Anna J. Park
People seek refuge at plant-filled place from fine dust
By Anna J. Park
Good news for those who'd like to take refuge from the thick, gray clouds of fine dust that seem to worsen during springtime in Korea. While the affluent can fly out of the country to foreign destinations with clean air for pricey vacations, the tight-budgeted now can visit Seoul's first-ever urban botanic park, filled with green plants proven to be the best natural air filters.
Since its temporary opening in mid-October last year, the Seoul Botanic Park in western Seoul has attracted more than 2.1 million visitors as of March 24. On average, over 7,000 people visited the park on weekdays and over 27,000 people on weekends.
Im So-young, 29, a resident of Incheon, is one of those fine-dust refugees. She visited the botanic garden with her husband and newborn baby.
“I was searching for a place to visit with my family, where there's less fine dust. And I found Seoul Botanic Park. The botanic conservatory not only has the perfect temperature for my baby, but also its plants have air-purifying effects. The air is very refreshing,” she said with a smile.
The Seoul Botanic Park has about 3,000 species of flora, including native Korean plants and other endangered plants. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The botanic park, which includes its two conservatories, arboretums and several theme gardens, is home to some 3,000 species of plants and trees. The two conservatories, one focusing on tropical climate and the other on the Mediterranean, feature about 500 species. Many of those species not only include Korea's endangered, native flora, but also plants known to have air-purifying effects.
“Many of the plants in the tropical conservatory are natural air purifiers. Diverse palm trees, such as the areca palm, bamboo palm, as well as the rubber plant, are some of those exemplary plants,” said Jeong Su-min, an official from the Exhibition and Education Division of the Seoul Botanic Park.
With a budget of 215 billion won ($189 million), the park has been in development since 2013, spread across 504,000 square meters of land, which is about 70 times the size of a soccer field. The park also has a library with over 7,000 books and periodicals on domestic and foreign plants and other cultural facilities.
The Seoul Botanic Park has attracted millions of visitors during its temporary opening since October. It will officially open in early May. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
With the goal of helping citizens enjoy healthier lifestyles in Seoul's urban bio-botanic park, the Seoul Metropolitan Government appointed Zoh Kyung-jin, a professor at Seoul National University's graduate school of environment, as the master planner of the park in April 2013. Zoh led the project, deciding the overall aspects of the park, from construction philosophy to plant exhibitions planning.
Other key masterminds of the park include landscape architect Jon Ou-gon, who took charge of landscape planning in November 2013. He designed the open-air theme gardens, and carefully selected construction materials and colors for the park. Architect Kim Chan-joong designed the park's iconic flower-shaped glass building, which houses the two conservatories. Measuring 100 meters in diameter, the sophisticated design satisfies visitors' aesthetic tastes, while enhancing efficient movement of visitors in the conservatories.
A family enjoys the Seoul Botanic Park, which has become a popular destination for families with babies thanks to its refreshing air and warm temperature inside the conservatories. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The first-ever public botanic theme park in Seoul will officially launch in May, with admission tickets expected to cost about 5,000 won. Until the official opening, admission is free, during which time the park is undergoing thorough examination to improve its services. The Mediterranean conservatory will also temporarily be closed for April for necessary preparations before the official opening.
“Ahead of the official opening in May, we plan to meticulously monitor the park's overall operation,” Lee Won-young, director of the park, said.
With the expected opening in May, the city government hopes the botanic park will be a venue where citizens can repose and recharge themselves. The botanic conservatories will open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be closed every Monday.
More information can be found on the website:
https://botanicpark.seoul.go.kr
.