The modern state of Iraq is where the city of Babylon and the civilization of Sumeria flourished in ancient times. Located between two gigantic rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, the region has fertile soil and an abundant supply of water. Based on these geographical merits, it became one of the world's first origins of civilization. Cities and metropolises began to be constructed in the Fertile Crescent some 5,000 years ago, and there was an active exchange of ideas, philosophies, arts and traditions.

Today, the region houses a number of historical heritage sites, including the Tower of Babel and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. These are on the list of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World. Recently, the glory of Babylon has slowly faded, largely due to two Gulf Wars in 1990 and 2003 and due to other internal conflicts. Nowadays, it's even hard for people to just maintain a daily routine. In light of this, Korea and Iraq have recently begun reviving the ancient glory of Babylon.

Currently in Bismayah, about ten kilometers northeast of Baghdad, construction of a futuristic high-tech city is well under way. It's a city development project being carried out by Hanwha Engineering & Construction. The aim is to build a gigantic city inhabited by 600,000 people in an area covering some 18.3 square kilometers. Hanwha started building collective residential blocks in 2012 to house around 100,000 residences. The company is responsible for every step of the construction process, from design and procurement through to actual construction. It expects to finish the whole project by 2019.

Earlier this month, the company succeeded in obtaining additional contracts to build some of the social infrastructure in the new city, such as roads, water and sewage systems, schools, hospitals, police stations and fire stations. The whole contract has earned the company over USD 10 billion dollars in sales.



Currently, a cluster of ten-story apartment blocks is slowly rising above the skyline in A Town, the first among a total of eight towns. This June, the A1 Block will be completed, with 1,440 residential units. Apartments are being constructed across other blocks and towns, as well, aiming at completing 20,000 units per year. The whole complex will comprise of eight towns, 59 blocks and 834 buildings.

Hanwha plans to transform Bismayah into a city with high-tech facilities. Among the many plans, the establishment of a large hospital complex has come under the spotlight. Set to begin in July this year, the hospital will be equipped with more than 500 beds and online communications and network systems that will enhance connections between hospitals in Korea and Iraq. The new hospital will also be linked to some ten local public health centers, making it easier for each organization to help each other. Hanwha will also manage the whole project, from the construction of the hospital through to offering health care services. The hospital is set to open during the first half of 2018.


Dr. Sami Al-A'raji, chairman of Iraq's National Investment Commission (NIC), said that he would like to extend his gratitude for the dedicated contributions of the Hanwha workers who showed great resilience and great ability to keep the city development project on track, even when internal conflicts broke out in parts of Iraq.



By Lee Seung-ah
Photos: Hanwha Engineering & Construction Corp.
Korea.net Staff Writer
slee27@korea.kr