From Noxious Facility to Citizen Park, the Fragrant Transformation of a Landfill... Haeundae Arboretum to Fully Open in 2025

Haeundae Arboretum Panorama.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Trainee Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] Citizens are flocking to Haeundae Arboretum in Busan, which used to be a landfill site.

Since its temporary opening on May 20, the Haeundae Arboretum has surpassed 240,000 cumulative visitors as it enters its seventh month of operation.

The Haeundae Arboretum was a landfill site called Seokdae Landfill used since 1987.

The city established a plan to create an arboretum on the landfill site after the Korea Forest Service's feasibility review for the arboretum.

Busan City completed construction of the first phase area and has been prioritizing the opening of 133,000 pyeong out of the total 190,000 pyeong, including the first phase area and parking lot, since May.

Busan City stated, "The arboretum, with various landscaping trees, ecological ponds, a rose garden, and 20 large and small gardens, as well as a herbivore zoo, has become a resting space offering relaxation to citizens weary from COVID-19."

The arboretum houses over 200 species and 50,000 rose plants, a herbivore zoo with animals such as sheep, ostriches, donkeys, and goats, and a sheep ranch.

In 2022, the city plans to expand the rose garden and hold the Busan Garden Expo at Haeundae Arboretum, inviting domestic and international landscaping experts to create artist gardens.

Busan City received recognition for the arboretum's achievements by winning the Prime Minister's Award, the highest prize, and a grant of 50 million KRW at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's '2021 Second Half Active Administration Competition.'

Donations from various sectors continue to support the successful establishment of Haeundae Arboretum.

Donating organizations include ▲Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation with 500 million KRW ▲Mirae Asset Securities with 1 billion KRW ▲Korea Local Finance Association with 100 million KRW ▲Busan Federation of the Disabled with one shuttle bus ▲National Forestry Cooperative Federation with three Zelkova trees, totaling approximately 1.7 billion KRW in contributions.

Park Hyung-jun, Mayor of Busan, said, "Haeundae Arboretum is a model case of carbon neutrality era transformation, turning a representative nuisance facility, a landfill, into an arboretum," adding, "We will secure budgets and proceed with construction so that citizens can comfortably use the arboretum as an urban sanctuary."

The city plans to begin detailed design for core facilities of the arboretum, including the greenhouse, management office, and exhibition garden, starting next year, aiming to complete all processes by the first half of 2025 and fully open Haeundae Arboretum.

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