Seungro Lee, Seongbuk-gu Mayor, and the Story Behind Being Called the 'Seongbukcheon Ajusshi'

Seung-ro Lee, Seongbuk-gu Mayor, Gains Attention as 'Seongbukcheon Uncle'... Personally Cultivates Seongbukcheon Healing Flowerbed and Participates in Seongbukcheon Purification Activities... "Started to Provide Healing to Seongbuk Residents Facing Various Stress Situations Including COVID-19 Spread"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] A man who devotes himself to caring for Seongbukcheon has become a hot topic. He is Lee Seung-ro, the mayor of Seongbuk-gu, who calls himself the ‘Seongbukcheon Ajusshi’.

The mayor’s daily routine begins at Seongbukcheon. On his way to work, he waters the 'Healing Flower Bed' created at the Barammadang (Wind Yard) of Seongbukcheon. He even dresses in training pants and sneakers exclusively for watering. He carefully adjusts the amount of water depending on the type of plant.

The 'Healing Flower Bed' was established last March by Seongbuk-gu for residents facing various stressful situations such as the spread of COVID-19 and difficulties in the local economy. It was created at the Barammadang by Seongbukcheon. In a 40㎡ space, 2,700 plants of 25 species including shrubs like Jeju Mokhyang and San-aengdo, and herbaceous plants like Gomphrena and Delphinium were planted.

Thanks to the mayor’s devoted care, the flower bed is full of colorful and fresh flowers and grasses. Naturally, it has become a 'hot place' in Seongbuk-gu. Many residents love it, including elderly people who stop to admire the plants while out exercising, couples taking photos with the vibrant flowers as a backdrop, and families who purposely go out to enjoy the flower bed.

Many residents call the mayor who waters the flower bed in training clothes and sneakers "Ajusshi" and ask for the names of the flowers. The mayor kindly tells them about Gomphrena, Zinnia, Verbena, Delphinium, Sage, and explains their characteristics. Even residents who meet him every morning know him as ‘that Ajusshi of Seongbukcheon’.

Another thing the mayor cherishes dearly is Seongbukcheon itself. Seongbukcheon is an ecological stream originating from Bukaksan in Seongbuk-dong and joining Cheonggyecheon. Plant communities such as Salix gracilistyla, Artemisia princeps, and Miscanthus sacchariflorus grow along the waterside. Various birds like herons, egrets, and wild ducks also inhabit the area.

The mayor regularly carries out cleaning activities at Seongbukcheon. Wearing knee-high boots and holding a broom, he enters Seongbukcheon to scrub stone moss or pick up trash along the stream. Residents of Samseon, Dongseon, Anam, Bomun-dong, and the ‘Beautiful Volunteer Group’ from Donam Elementary School participate together.

Sweating profusely like rain, the mayor’s passionate removal of harmful plants and scrubbing of stone moss clinging to rocks has become a topic among residents, highlighting his extraordinary love for Seongbukcheon.

When asked by residents, "Why do you sweep and clean Seongbukcheon so thoroughly?" the mayor replied, “I hope residents can heal even for a moment at Seongbukcheon and recharge their will and hope to overcome COVID-19.”

In fact, many residents who visit Seongbukcheon walk there to relieve fatigue from social distancing, and they unanimously say it has a great healing effect. The mayor said, “I will continue to remain the Seongbukcheon Ajusshi so that residents can fully enjoy a more pleasant and beautiful Seongbukcheon,” adding, “As the rainy season has begun, I will carefully manage it so that residents can use Seongbukcheon safely.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.