YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea – Leaders of the Yongsan-gu Korean-American Friendship Council and the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan team began the campaign to clean up Mount Namsan and prevent forest fires during a Namsan hiking event, Nov. 7.
The purpose of the Good Neighbor Program event was to promote a clean and safe Mount Namsan and strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance. Col. Michael E. Masley, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan commander, Woo Jong-soo, chief of Yongsan police station, and Park Seok-kyu, chairman of Yongsan-gu Council, led a group of approximately 30 hikers up Mount Namsan, enjoying the colorful scenery along the way.
“Namsan is one of the most popular tourist attractions (in Korea) and acts as a core of ecological environment connecting the Han River and the center of Seoul,” Park said. “Through this campaign, we will make an improvement in friendship and harmony.”
The hikers helped promote fire prevention and nature preservation by wearing sashes emblazoned with campaign slogans. They shared warm greetings with local hikers and tourists, while appreciating the great view of Seoul in autumn.
“We move forward in the direction in which Namsan brings us together. The hope is that we each have an equal share in the land around us, and understand that we have an equal responsibility to protect it,” Masley said. “Thank you very much for your participation today, and I truly appreciate your support to strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance towards a better tomorrow.”