Gwangju City to Make Pungam Lake Korea's First National Urban Park

Vision Proclamation Ceremony Held on the 21st
Presenting Four Core Values for a Luxury Park
Creating a Healing Space with Water Quality Improvement, Musical Fountain, and Rose Garden

On the afternoon of the 21st, at the outdoor stage of Pungam Lake in Seo-gu, participants including Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong, Seo-gu District Mayor Kim Ikang, and local residents performed a hand-picket performance at the "Luxury Lake Park Development and National Urban Park Vision Proclamation Ceremony." Provided by Gwangju City

Gwangju City is set to dramatically transform Pungam Lake, one of the city's premier recreational spaces for residents. The city has announced an ambitious plan to make Jungang Neighborhood Park the "first national urban park in Korea" by improving water quality and creating a healing space.

On the afternoon of the 21st, Gwangju City held the "Luxury Lake Park Development Vision Proclamation Ceremony" at Jungang Neighborhood Park in Seo-gu. The event was attended by over 300 people, including Mayor Kang Gijeong, key local figures, and citizens.

The city plans to adjust the depth of Pungam Lake from 2.8 meters to 1.5 meters and supply up to 1,000 tons of clean water daily. Around the lake, a 2-kilometer walking trail, the nation’s largest musical fountain, and a rose garden spanning 2,500 pyeong will be created.

The ultimate goal of this project is to have Jungang Neighborhood Park designated as a national urban park. With recent legal amendments easing the requirements for designation, the park now meets optimal conditions for this status.

The vision announced at the proclamation ceremony encompasses four core values: serving as a green hub to address the climate crisis, being a citizen-centered space, inheriting the values of peace, human rights, and democracy, and establishing Korea’s leading luxury park.

Perspective view of Pungam Lake Park outdoor performance hall. Provided by Gwangju City

The construction is scheduled to continue until 2027, and the city plans to minimize inconvenience to residents by partially opening the park and creating detour walking paths during the construction period.

The city aims to make Pungam Lake a source of pride and a cherished relaxation space for citizens through this project. With stable national funding, the park will be systematically managed, and the urban environment is expected to be significantly improved by mitigating the urban heat island effect and preserving the ecosystem. In particular, it is anticipated to play a vital role in securing urban carbon sinks to address climate change.

If the designation of Jangrok Wetland as a national wetland, the registration of Pyeongdume Wetland in Mudeungsan National Park as a Ramsar Wetland, and the promotion of Gwangjuho Lake Park as a national garden are all successfully achieved, Gwangju will solidify its status as Korea’s leading ecological city.

Mayor Kang Gijeong stated, "Pungam Lake will be reborn as a refined space where citizens can truly relax in nature," adding, "We will create a luxury lake park of the highest standard in terms of water quality, facilities, and landscape, making it the green heart that opens Korea’s future."

Mayor Kang also emphasized, "We will do our utmost together with citizens to ensure that Jungang Neighborhood Park is designated as Korea’s first national urban park."

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