Seeking a Green Legacy in South Korea

This piece from The New York Times explores the green projects being pursued by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is running for his second four-year term this year.

"Mr. Oh is among a new breed of South Korean politicians who increasingly stake their political fortunes on so-called green growth. For Mr. Oh, that means creating jobs based on environmentally friendly technologies and figuring out how to make this city, home to one-fifth of the country’s 49 million people, a healthier, more pleasant place to live.

Since taking office in 2006, Mr. Oh has tried to make the city look nicer and greener. Under his Design City slogan, the municipal authorities carted away urban eyesores like leaky shacks for shoe shiners and replaced them with artfully designed, government-subsidized kiosks. They revamped the old city center, turning part of its Kwanghwamun Boulevard into a plaza where children can skate in winter."