Finding Fresh Air

[Anchor Lead]

With the change of season comes a lot of fine dust in Seoul and other urban areas. A growing number of people are leaving the major cities in search of fresh air. Here’s more.

[Pkg]

After a 40-minute drive from Seoul, a two-story house situated in the woods comes into view. This is home to a married couple and their three children. Windows facing the woods always offer wonderful views of nature. The two sisters go out to the garden and sprinkle around crumbs of ramyeon. After a while, birds fly in.

[Soundbite] "(How many birds are there?) One, two, three..."

This family decided to move to a house in the suburbs, leaving behind the city that is frequently plagued by fine dust.

[Soundbite] Lee Won-hee : "We used to live in a busy urban district. I find it very satisfying to live here."

Shin Ok-ja enjoys the beautiful landscape of woods all the time, although she had lived in an apartment. She moved into the house four years ago. She appreciates the seasonal changes of the woods through the windows.

[Soundbite] Shin Ok-ja : "I feel refreshed when I look outside while cooking. It feels as if my troubles are melting away."

The rear gate of the apartment leads to a walking trail.

[Soundbite] Jeong Jae-hwan : "I enjoy lots of things in addition to good health. My friends living in Gangnam, the affluent district in southern Seoul, envy me a lot. However, they say that they cannot come, since they don't have the courage."

Fresh air and relaxing experiences offered by the woods have become a key factor in determining the quality of life. With the government promoting a green project to build roughly 200 urban forests across the nation by 2020, the dream of living near nature will likely come true in the near future.