Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus L.) blooms in summer and is widely used as an ornamental tree because of its beautiful flowers and long flowering periods. To develop a new cultivar suitable for pot cultivation, the artificial crossing of H. syriacus cv. Hansŏ, a seed parent, and H. syriacus cv. Hongtanshim, a pollen parent, was established in 2011. Among the 19 artificially bred seedlings that bloomed in 2014, three individuals were selected by the characteristics based on flower shape, flower size, petal color, presence and size of the red eye zone, leaf characteristics, tree form, and growth of the current-year branch. After the second test on its traits for three years, one individual (NFHH05) with a unique flower shape and slow growth was selected. This individual was investigated again for uniformity and stability of trait expression, and was registered as a new cultivar under the name ‘Huiwon’ in 2022. ‘Huiwon’ has bright pink flowers with thick petals and distinct petal veins. The flowers were in full bloom and were shaped like a plate, with the tips of the petals curling outward. It begins to bloom at the beginning of July, and the average flowering period is approximately 63 d. ‘Huiwon’ has a slightly straight tree form and is a slow growing cultivar, which makes it suitable for medium-sized pot cultivation or flower gardening (Grant number 8875).

Forest tree improvement is relatively a young science and its purpose is to provide guidance for the conservation, management and sustainable utilization of genetic resources of natural and managed forests. In South Korea, forest tree improvement programs started in 1956. The programs had two main aims: to guarantee the genetic origin of the forest reproductive materials used in afforestation and reforestation, and to develop genetically improved individuals and varieties of some commercially important trees. Since the launch of the forest tree improvement programs, biomass production has been the major improvement target, together with overall adaptability to different sites. Further improvement targets have recently been added, including wood quality traits, and more specific targets linked to adaptation to abiotic and biotic factors in response to new socioeconomic needs and global changes. Additionally, since the early 1970s, forest genetic resource conservation and forest fruit and nut tree breeding have progressed in South Korea. Molecular breeding techniques based on omics information are being developed to enhance the efficacy of selection and to accelerate forest tree breeding cycles. Genetic engineering, including gene editing, has also been applied, but is currently limited to research purposes. Forest tree improvement will be an integral part of the bioeconomy in securing the production of good quality raw materials in large quantities, and will play a significant role in sequestering carbon dioxide and decelerating climate change in the long term.