[The Hwankyung Ilbo] In June, the government confirmed four cases: the Korea New Deal of the Month (TFT/Green New Deal), ▷Lee Myung-joo, a professor of architecture at Myongji University, ▷Park Chan-kyu, a teacher at Seoul Munbaek Elementary School (Digital New Deal), and ▷Ulsan Metropolitan City floating offshore wind development (region Balanced New Deal).

The Korean version of the monthly New Deal, which has been selected and announced every month since March, targets people or companies that directly performed the New Deal project, people or companies that benefited from the New Deal project, and symbolic locations of Korea. 

Transparent PET bottle remade into new clothes: 

New LifeTex (TFT, BYN Black Yak), which succeeded in commercializing and marketing complete fashion products with recycling PET bottles and outdoor clothing (outdoor) functions, is considered a model example of the Korean version of the "Green New Deal".

Above all, it is noteworthy that it succeeded in commercializing and replacing recycled polyester materials that had relied on imports from Japan, China, and Taiwan by recycling transparent PET bottles in Korea. It was highly praised for its positive impact on the environment that saves the planet as well as reducing plastic waste in Korea.

In particular, the reason why polyester materials could be replaced with domestic PET bottles was because of the passion to sell footwear and run on the site.

In order to establish a completely new resource circulation system, the TFT has joined hands with the government (mandatory separate discharge of PET bottles), Sparkle (bottled water), Doosan Entertainment (renewable flakes), and TK Chemical (renewable yarn) to smoothly collect PET bottles, then crush and cleanse. 

After many trials and errors, research, and development, it finally succeeded in commercializing K-rPET (K-rPET) that recycled PET bottles in South Korea.

If Korea succeeds in recycling transparent PET bottles into high-value-added long-fiber (thin-thin fibers), it is expected to create a new market of about 420 billion won (households producing 100,000 tons of fiber per year).

Lee Chang-hoon, a senior researcher at the Environmental Policy Assessment Institute who was in charge of the screening, said, "The Green New Deal's ideology of co-prosperity between the environment and the economy has been realized." "The participation of leading companies stands out," he said.

Kim Joon-hyuk, a professor at Hanshin University, also said, "The successful creation of complete fashion products by recycling PET bottles is the Korean version of the New Deal that saved the environment and even created corporate economic benefits." 

Energy self-sufficiency building: 

Lee Myung-joo, a professor of architecture at Myongji University, is an expert on energy self-sufficiency (zero energy) and eco-friendly refurbishment (green remodeling).

After being selected as the first R&D research team leader of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in October 2013, it successfully completed all processes including planning, design, supervision, and research management of Korea's first energy self-sufficient apartment house for five years until May 2018.

As a result, "Nowon Easy House" received the best rating for building energy efficiency and the best rating for green buildings in 2017, and in 2018, it was the first in Korea to obtain the German passive house certification in the apartment sector. 

He also participated in "Zero Energy Performance Green Remodeling" and "Residence Environment Project for the Disabled" for senior citizen centers, daycare centers, and public buildings, while completing Green New Deal's leading research projects such as "Hyemyung Children's Playground" in Jongno-gu, Seoul and Gyeonggi-do.

Professor Lee Myung-joo believes that it is difficult to overcome the climate crisis without the "energy self-sufficiency" of greenhouse gas main building, and is continuously striving for energy self-sufficiency in the city as well as Korean buildings.

"Building is an important sector in terms of greenhouse gas reduction," said Cho Kyu-ri, CEO of the jury (GYEK). "We gave a high score not only in terms of excellence in technology but also in terms of eco-friendly refurbishment considering residents' lives." 

A class of the future to learn and grow together: 

The ultimate goal of Park Chan-kyu, a teacher at Seoul Munbaek Elementary School who uses intelligent (smart) devices to develop students' creative thinking, communication, and knowledge and information processing skills, is "a school of learning through cooperation" and "creating a classroom that grows together through online activities."

To achieve this goal, Park Chan-kyu developed professors and learning materials that utilize various online contents (e-books, images, videos, applications, etc.) instead of booklet-type textbooks so that students can experience the future-type classroom environment in advance.

It also allows students to freely come up with ideas through online and offline linked classes and express creative thoughts in detail, thereby developing core competencies such as creative thinking, knowledge and information processing and communication. 

He also worked hard on online collaboration activities. By activating online small groups, he focused his efforts on exchanging opinions among students as well as sharing "what he knows and what he made mistakes" with other classmates through intelligent (smart) devices to solve them together and create a growing classroom.

"I wonder how far digitalization of education and culture can develop," said Park Mi-kyung, CEO of Mom Cafe, who was in charge of screening. "I think digitalization of education is now the core of education, so I gave him a high score."

Director Lee Yoon-geun (ETRI Artificial Intelligence Institute) also said, "Teacher Park Chan-kyu attempted various innovations to foster digital literacy (literacy) of students, which contributed to fostering manpower responsible for the future of the country." 

Residents participate and local governments lead: 

The Ulsan floating offshore wind power generation is a "Green New Deal" that responds to the climate change crisis and a local government-led initiative that represents a "balanced regional new deal."

Ulsan City is the first local government to establish a balanced regional New Deal promotion plan to lead the balanced regional New Deal and show strength in the Green New Deal field considering the environment.

A typical example of a balanced regional New Deal is the Ulsan-type advantageous job project through floating sea wind power.

Ulsan's floating offshore wind power generation caused a "new wind" by realizing the Green New Deal centered on private investment, including power generators and manufacturers, and even creating beneficial jobs.

When the Ulsan floating offshore wind power plant, the world's largest single complex, is completed, large and diverse ripple effects are expected in the region. 

It is expected to generate 210,000 jobs, supply power to 5.76 million households, attract supply chain companies from more than 100 companies, reduce CO2 by 9.3 million tons a year, preoccupy and export the marine wind power world market.

Kim Dong-pil, vice president of El Solu, said, "The establishment of a virtuous cycle industrial complex (cluster) in sea wind power generation and industrial complexes is a good example of the Korean version of New Deal." 

A total of nine organizations participated in the recommendation of candidates for the Korea New Deal of the Month in June, including Lee Chang-hoon, a senior researcher at Hanshin University, Kim Joon-hyuk, CEO of GYEK (GYEK), Park Mi-kyung, vice president of ETRI.

On behalf of the government, Minister of Environment Han Jeong-ae delivered a commemorative plaque to New Lifex (TFT), Lee Myung-joo, a professor of architecture at Myongji University, Park Chan-kyu, Seoul Munbaek Elementary School, and Ulsan Metropolitan City at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. 

"Today's winners showed a good example of the Korean version of the New Deal that sheds light on the future of the Republic of Korea with innovative thinking and bold challenges in the environmental and digital sectors," Han said. The government will continue to do its best to help the private sector continue to produce excellent cases of the New Deal.