This chapter looks at the contestation over river access in an industrial
city of South Korea. In the city of Suwon, a small stream had been covered
with concrete in the context of rapid economic development during the
1990s—a decision taken in order to facilitate additional road construction.
A decision that was originally uncontested, indeed welcomed by
local business, did eventually generate an environmental and societal
backlash, leading to the restoration of access to the stream. Beyond this,
the experience had wide-ranging repercussions for local politics and
the identity of the city. This chapter discusses the way in which access
to the river became a key issue in local politics and ultimately led to the
transformation of Suwon into a recognized eco-city.
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