Suncheon City Launches New Initiatives for Suncheon After Expo

Published 16 Nov.2023 16:49(KST)

Examining Education, Culture, and Urban Design Across California, Texas, and More in the USA

Suncheon City and the Suncheon City Council in Jeollanam-do have embarked on a business trip to the United States for an advanced study tour to find new growth engines that integrate culture into ecology following the Garden Expo.

From the 15th to the 22nd, they plan to visit San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Antonio over a 6-night, 8-day schedule.

[Photo by Suncheon City]

In San Francisco and Los Angeles, they will visit Pixar Animation Studios, UCLA, Disneyland, and other sites to observe advanced cases leading the cultural industry through animation.

Additionally, in San Antonio, known as an eco-friendly water city, they will examine the spatial structure where most of the downtown connections lead to the River Walk, seeking ways to integrate it with the Dongcheon Stream and urban landscapes.

Mayor Noh Kwan-gyu of Suncheon has emphasized establishing a differentiated future strategy, stating that while raising the question, “Where should our city go now?” and mentioning a “Korean version of Walt Disney,” the goal is not simply to create a theme park but to transform the entire city into an animation industry hub.

He also said, “Suncheon is the city best equipped with the analog foundation of ecology and gardens, having hosted two Garden Expos. By adding cultural content combined with cutting-edge digital technology, we can leap forward as a completely new city.”

Mayor Noh has consistently expressed gratitude to the Suncheon City Council, which demonstrated a new model of local political cooperation, as a key to the success of the Garden Expo. In particular, the council’s full support through a one-point supplementary budget was a crucial key to the expo’s success.

Before the energy gathered from the expo dissipates, this joint trip holds special significance as it is essential to move forward in unity with the Suncheon City Council to create a “higher and newer Suncheon.”