President Lee Myung-bak, center, waves to pedestrians as he is cycling

Bike Campaign Top Priority in Changwon City

Tour-de-Korea, hosted by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, kicked off in Seoul on 25 April 2009 and wrapped up in Changwon City on 3 May. Changwon City, an ICLEI member, has made EcoMobility a top priority by promoting bike campaigns throughout the city, including a public bicycle rental program.

The government plans to complete a 3 000 kilometer bike-only path by 2020. The path will link major cities nationwide such as Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Gwangju. The plan also includes a bike lane that will run along the country’s four major rivers, which are undergoing massive state-led refurbishment aimed at transforming green spaces.

“There are several tasks that we need to complete to make this happen. First and foremost, we need to build a separate lane available only for cyclists in large cities. Korea is a net bicycle importer now, but it can become the third largest bicycle producing country in give years when and if many people participate in the campaign,” stressed President Lee Myung-bak in Changwon City on 3 May.

The campaign is aimed at raising public awareness of Lee’s low-carbon green growth policy agenda.