Seoul sets up exhibition center to promote 'green growth'

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- The government plans to launch a full-scale campaign this week to promote its new national vision for green growth with the opening of a permanent exhibition center, offering a rare glimpse at the country's latest green technologies, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

The exhibition center, Experience of Green Growth (EGG) Hall, will be opened
Saturday in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul.
The opening of the green growth center comes one year after President Lee
Myung-bak suggested low-carbon, green growth as a new national vision in his
speech marking last year's Aug. 15 Liberation Day.
"Green growth is one of the key examples of the president's practical policy
goals that has no political motives but only seeks to bring the people together,"
Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.
The government has submitted a bill on low-carbon, green growth that will require
government and private companies, as well as ordinary consumers, to significantly
improve their energy efficiency.
Seoul also set new efficiency standards for vehicles early last month, requiring
all manufacturers to produce cars that average at least 16.7 kilometer per liter
starting from 2015.
To help develop and promote new green technology, the government will spend 107
trillion won (US$86.5 billion), accounting for 2 percent of GDP, during the
2009-2013 period, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"We are witnessing the practical results of increased investment in the green
business sector even amid the global economic downturn," it said, noting the
country's 400 major businesses were expected to spend a total of 31.2 trillion
won ($25.2 billion) on green technology by 2012.