Aramco, pioneering architect Jung Young-sun team up to build a public garden in Ulsan
Aramco Korea, Ulsan and Jung will create a 7,000-square-meter (1.73-acre) public garden of native Korean plants at Taehwagang National Garden by late October.
From left, Representative Director of Aramco Korea Khalid A. Radi, Mayor of Ulsan Kim Sang-wook, landscape architect Jung Young-sun and Chairman of the Ulsan Metropolitan Council on Social Welfare Oh Se-geol attend the partnership agreement ceremony for the Aramco · Jung Youngsun Ulsan Garden at Ulsan City Hall on July 28.ARAMCO ASIA KOREA
Aramco Asia Korea, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, signed a partnership agreement with Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Ulsan Metropolitan Council on Social Welfare (UMCSW) on Tuesday to build a new public garden within the Taehwagang National Garden in Ulsan.
Dubbed the Aramco · Jung Youngsun Ulsan Garden, the project brings in Korea's pioneering landscape architect Jung Young-sun to plan, design and construct the space. Best known for turning urban spaces into nature parks, she is the first Korean to receive the Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award, the highest honor bestowed by the International Federation of Landscape Architects recognizing living landscape architects for lifetime achievements.
Aramco Korea will fund the garden's development, while Ulsan Metropolitan City will provide the site within Taehwagang National Garden and operate the space once it is complete. The UMCSW will receive and administer Aramco Korea's contribution and coordinate among the three partners.
The new garden is slated to span roughly 7,000 square meters (1.73 acres) inside Taehwagang National Garden, one of two national gardens in Korea and a site that draws about 9.5 million visitors annually.
It will be divided into five connected zones — a forest, a wetland, a meadow, a learning commons and a conservation zone — intended to let visitors experience Korea's native ecology and learn about the natural environment. More than 73 native Korean plant species are set to be planted, including fringed water lilies, two-flower bladderworts and orchids.
The garden was "designed to express the natural character of the Taehwa River region through Korean native plant species," Jung said. "It is expected to help people better understand Korea's natural heritage, local biodiversity and the value of living in harmony with nature."
Construction is expected to be completed by late October.
Visitors to the Taehwagang National Garden enjoy spring flowers in Jung District, Ulsan, on May 17.NEWS1
The garden adds to Aramco Korea's community initiatives in Ulsan, which include a plastic recycling program, the Aramco Coding School and the Safer Routes to School program.
"Through the Aramco · Jung Youngsun Ulsan Garden, we hope to contribute a meaningful public space that can be enjoyed by Ulsan citizens and visitors for many years to come," said Representative Director of Aramco Korea Khalid A. Radi. "We also hope the garden, with its many native Korean plant species, will become a place where people can learn from nature and appreciate the value of Korea's unique plant heritage. This initiative represents our focus on creating long-term value for the communities where we operate."
Aramco has deep roots in Ulsan through its majority ownership of S-Oil, one of Korea's largest refiners, and its investment in the massive Shaheen petrochemical project based in the city.
"The garden is expected to become a valuable public asset for Ulsan citizens, offering residents and visitors a place to experience Korea's native ecology and appreciate nature in everyday life," said Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook. "The project reflects the growing partnership between Ulsan and Aramco across both business and citizenship."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
