Lake Sihwa, the largest artificial lake in Korea, is surrounded by the cities of Siheung, Ansan, and Hwaseong. The lake, which serves as a foundation of life in our daily lives, marks its 30th anniversary this year. It is a miraculous journey of how Lake Sihwa, once degraded into a "dead lake" due to pollution following its construction, transformed into an ecological treasure trove. We look back on the 30 years of Lake Sihwa, which has been reborn as a lake of life. Lake Sihwa was created on January 24, 1994, with the completion of the Sihwa Seawall, following the government's special regional development plan to efficiently disperse population and industry in the capital area. As the nation's largest artificial lake with a storage capacity of 332 million tons, the Sihwa Seawall stretches a staggering 12.7 kilometers. However, the nightmare began with its completion; in August 1996, hundreds of thousands of fish died en masse in Lake Sihwa. If you look at the data confirmed through satellite imagery from 1997, you can see that the water inside Lake Sihwa was polluted and turned pitch black. You can clearly see the contrast with the water outside, near Incheon, which appears blue in the same data. At that time, when the condition of Lake Sihwa was at its worst, the COD level reached about 17.4 ppm. According to experts, it was "dead water." In other words, it was water beyond recovery. Physically and chemically, it was considered a dead lake because it was water that humans could no longer utilize, essentially meaning it was dead. However, change began to take hold as the government allowed full seawater circulation in 1998 and subsequently abandoned the freshwater plan. Lake Sihwa began to come back to life. Once known as a synonym for water pollution, Lake Sihwa in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, has been reborn as a lake of life, home to various migratory birds and natural monuments like otters. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the government, local municipalities, environmental activists, and citizens to improve water quality, the ecosystem has now recovered by 99%. The lake water has revived into a transparent blue, so clear that white clams at the bottom can be seen at a depth of 30 centimeters. Species that had disappeared, such as rockfish, sea bream, and hard-shelled mussels, are now inhabiting the area again. Nearly 80 species of migratory birds have also returned. Ten endangered bird species, including the black-faced spoonbill, have been observed. It has been about 30 years now. With the COD level down to about 2.0 ppm, we believe the lake has been restored to the state it was in before it was even created. We see the current state of Lake Sihwa as a process where the lake is improving and its life forms are continuing to return. Therefore, it is not a completed form but an ongoing process of restoration. I think it can be viewed this way. Broadly speaking, there are two things we can talk about. The first is Lake Leman, which spans Switzerland and France, also known as Lake Geneva. It was a place where water pollution was extremely severe. It became the Lake Leman we see today through various efforts, such as building sewage treatment plants for purification. There is also another example in Japan. In Minamata, factory wastewater and domestic sewage flowed directly into the sea, causing mercury poisoning among residents and becoming a major issue as a pollution-related disease. The cases of overcoming the problems of Lake Leman or the Jinzu River in Toyama relied heavily on government power. However, our case is different in that the government, local municipalities, civil society, and experts have cooperated to solve this problem together. In particular, the future process and the ongoing restoration are being carried out with the private sector, which sets it apart from other examples. I think it can be viewed in this light. Did you know that a giant turtle is hidden in Sihwa Lake, where various forms of life have revived? Named Turtle Island because it resembles a turtle when viewed from the sky. It is an artificial island created through the reclamation of Sihwa Lake, full of various sights and activities such as marine leisure, culture, and arts. Turtle Island in the Multi-Techno Valley is already a mecca for surfing enthusiasts, starting with Wave Park, Asia's first artificial surf park, and is gaining attention as a hub for next-generation marine leisure with various facilities springing up. Wave Park is the world's largest artificial surfing facility, designed to allow surfing all year round. Various types of waves up to 2.4 meters high are created, allowing you to choose a wave time slot that suits your skill level. Para Dive is a complex leisure facility full of various fun, including Para Dive 35, the deepest indoor diving pool in Korea, as well as an infinity pool, rooftop street arts, and a flat football stadium for families to enjoy together. With depth sections divided into five levels from 1.3 m to 3m and 35m, both beginners and experts can safely experience diving, and you can especially take cool diving photos with unique sculptures in each depth section . Free diving certification is available, and programs for diving with experts are also popular. Why not challenge yourself to the best experience of your life? Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the creation of Sihwa Lake this year, Siheung City is hosting various events on Turtle Island . First, we are opening the 300- meter-long Geobukseom Scenic Bridge that leads to the yacht mooring area. With its outstanding open scenery, you can enjoy both the beautiful sunrise and sunset of Lake Sihwa. A natural sanctuary newly gifted by Lake Sihwa. It is becoming a resting place where you can take a step back from the bustling city. Honestly, as you can see, the views are absolutely amazing. Since the views are so great, most of the cafes are beautiful, and I really enjoy discovering how this place is gradually transforming. It feels great and it's fun, and we are planning to build a 70 km-long trail that circles Lake Sihwa. About 35km of it has been completed so far. If we can create various courses like history tours, energy tours, environmental tours, and integrated trails, the 20 million citizens in the Seoul and Gyeonggi area can come here to learn the storytelling of Lake Sihwa —the exemplary environmental case of transforming from a history of death to a history of life—and especially because this area is right on the West Coast, we think the sunset is quite beautiful. Of course, many people talk about the sunrise, but I believe the sunset seen from here offers a different kind of charm. Left. Geobukseom has already established itself as a marine leisure hotspot where you can enjoy various marine sports on both water and land. The Marine Leisure Academy program, which has been held annually at Geobukseom since 2015, consists of yachting and surfing classes. There are quite a few places that offer marine leisure activities. However, I know it is rare to find a place like ours that provides free programs, with classes for students on weekdays and experience activities for the general public on weekends. Among these, the yacht and surfing classes are operated in connection with creative career experiences, providing opportunities for about 6,000 local teenagers to experience various marine activities. The teacher was a bit strict when it came to safety, but it was fun and I enjoyed it. What was fun about it? Well, since we went out onto the sea here, the water and the cool breeze felt great. When I was holding on while riding, the teacher would make waves around me, and that was fun. Children don't often get the chance to easily experience these kinds of water leisure activities, and since school field trips usually go to places like museums, I think it was very meaningful to be able to experience these water activities. The children participated very happily, and the staff here provided great guidance, so it was nice to feel that they could enjoy water leisure safely. Because the environment here is similar to the sea, it is often subject to harsh conditions due to the influence of the wind and other factors. Other than that, it is an absolutely wonderful environment. Despite being close to the West Sea, it is an optimal location where we can conduct activities with almost no impact from tidal differences. After enjoying yourselves outdoors, you also need some time to enrich your mind . Let's head to the Bon Davinci Museum, which opened this past May on a 2,000- pyeong site. As a permanent media art exhibition hall, this place was selected as a 2024 Gyeonggi Unique Venue, breathing vitality into the Siheung MICE industry. The Bon Davinci Museum was highly evaluated for providing a differentiated exhibition space centered on art tourism. Sihwa Lake, which has achieved great change, has now emerged as a symbol of overcoming environmental pollution. Reborn as a treasure trove of biodiversity, a hub for environmental education, and a center for eco-friendly marine studies, Sihwa Lake is a unique place that encompasses various topical environmental issues such as ecology, climate change, and sustainable development. Through a cooperative project with the Ministry of Environment, we are currently working to turn this area into a habitat for waterfowl. In particular, as you can see birds flying around, there is a small breakwater that stretches from one end to the other. When people come here, they often ask. "Why was that built?""Why is there a dike there?" That's what they ask, but birds need a place to rest, too. We built the dike to provide them with a place to rest. If you look at the end over there, you can see the birds hanging out. In particular, this place also provides excellent opportunities as an educational site for our children. That is how you should look at it. This is where they can learn the history of Sihwa Lake and realize the importance of the environment in which the lake was brought back to life. That's because when our children come here and see the shellfish and birds living here, they realize that this is truly a living lake and can personally experience the history of how it recovered from being a "dead lake" in the past. Based on the experience of Sihwa Lake, Siheung City is preparing various environmental education programs to raise awareness of environmental importance and enhance the value of the lake. Sihwa Lake will serve as a guide for the coexistence of humans and nature, and for the harmony between development and conservation. To create sustainable development value for Sihwa Lake as a habitat where nature breathes and a place of rest for citizens, Siheung City is pushing to designate October 10th as "Sihwa Lake Day." Why did we choose to designate October 10th ? First, October is the month when the ordinance for the revitalization of Sihwa Lake in Gyeonggi-do was enacted. The Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant development plan was also announced in October 2003, marking a deep connection between October and Sihwa Lake. The joint declaration by Ansan, Siheung, and Hwaseong for the development and progress of Sihwa Lake was also announced in October 2011. Why not think of and visit Sihwa Lake on October 10th? Based on October, the month when the Sihwa District development plan—the construction of the tidal power plant—was revised, the 10th also symbolizes the rebirth of Sihwa Lake as a beacon of environmental restoration. We designated October 10th to symbolize the birth of Sihwa Lake, which emerged full of future value after a long period of patience, much like a child facing the world after ten full months in the womb. In particular, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Sihwa Lake, we are hosting and promoting various events and festivals, including national photo exhibitions, academic forums, and citizen participation programs. The city of Siheung is working tirelessly to make Sihwa Lake the most beautiful destination visited by Siheung citizens , the entire nation, and people from around the world. Sihwa, the lake of life that created a 30-year miracle. We look forward to the future of Sihwa Lake, where nature, people, thriving industry, and a bright future shine together. Thank you.