Table of Contents
- Confirmation of Regional Balanced Development and Ecotourism Cooperation Project
- Overview of the Cooperation Policy between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment
- Jeonbuk Buan-gun – Ecological Garden and Tidal Flat Healing Center
- Chungnam Boryeong-si – Creation of Sunset Viewpoint
- Gangwon Yeongwol-gun – Creation of Bongraesan Landmark
- Project Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
- Future Action Plans
- Summary and Expected Effects
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Confirmation of Regional Balanced Development and Ecotourism Cooperation Project
The target sites for the 'Sustainable Regional Balanced Development and Ecotourism Activation Linked Project' conducted in cooperation between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment have been finalized.
The selected regions include the ecological garden and tidal flat healing center in Jeonbuk Buan-gun, the sunset viewpoint in Chungnam Boryeong-si, and the Bongraesan landmark in Gangwon Yeongwol-gun.
Each region plans to develop as a differentiated ecotourism hub based on its unique ecological resources and tourism potential. This is expected to be a significant turning point for regional balanced development.
Overview of the Cooperation Policy between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment
The responsible departments are the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment. The background of this policy aims to alleviate the concentration phenomenon in the metropolitan area and promote balanced growth in the provinces, focusing on expansion based on ecotourism.
This will proceed in a direction consistent with the new government's "5 Extremes 3 Special" regional development strategy. The 5 extremes include the metropolitan area, southeast region, Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, central region, and Honam region, while the 3 specials designate Jeju, Gangwon, and Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Provinces. This policy will serve as an important cornerstone for sustainable development.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will provide necessary infrastructure for regional development and the activation of coastal inland areas. The Ministry of Environment adopts a cooperative approach to harmonize this with local resources and propose customized ecotourism programs and operational strategies.
Jeonbuk Buan-gun – Ecological Garden and Tidal Flat Healing Center
The project taking place within the Julpo Bay Wetland Protection Area involves the remodeling of the tidal flat healing center. Additionally, it includes the establishment of an ecological garden, walking paths, and the Sunset Bridge.
This project aims to develop into a residential ecological healing hub that blends healing and relaxation utilizing the Ramsar Site of Julpo Bay.
The total project cost is 17 billion KRW, of which 8.5 billion KRW is provided by the national government, and the remaining 8.5 billion KRW is funded by local governments.
Chungnam Boryeong-si – Creation of Sunset Viewpoint
Location:
Near the West Coast Tourist Road
Project Contents:
Skywalk (292m)
Panorama Viewpoint (45.1㎡)
Yunseul Viewpoint (39.6㎡)
Features:
Developed as a tourist attraction harmonizing with the ria coastline for enjoying sunsets.
Total Project Cost:
4 billion KRW (2 billion KRW from the national government and 2 billion KRW from local budgets).
Gangwon Yeongwol-gun – Creation of Bongraesan Landmark
Location: Bongraesan and Donggang Regions
Project Contents:
10 treehouses, forest playground, forest garden, and a 1.5 km treetop road creating a forest play area.
Features:
Utilizing the beautiful natural scenery of Bongraesan and Donggang, it plans to develop as an ecotourism hub linking residential forest and rivers.
Total Project Cost:
The total project cost is 47.2 billion KRW, funded entirely by local government funds.
Project Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
The project implementation procedure is as follows. First, a joint project briefing will be held in June. Second, applications will be accepted from local governments in August. After that, expert reviews and on-site verifications will proceed. Finally, the final results will be confirmed.
The evaluation criteria will consider the status of ecotourism infrastructure, the potential for linking with local resources, program operation and community participation, and the expected effects of consulting.
Future Action Plans
Customized diagnostics and consulting on ecotourism will be carried out until November 2025. Regional councils will operate, and the development of specialized tourism programs will also be supported.
In the case of Yeongdeok-gun, which collaborated last year, a follow-up diagnosis will also be conducted. Each local government plans to reflect the results of these consultations in facility design, construction, and action plans.
Summary and Expected Effects
This cooperative project is expected to greatly contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized cities and achieving regional balanced development. Additionally, it is meaningful in laying the foundation for a sustainable tourism industry by utilizing the unique ecological resources of each region.
Jeonbuk Buan-gun will emit differentiated charm through tidal flat healing and ecological gardens, while Chungnam Boryeong-si will showcase its sunset viewpoint tourism. Gangwon Yeongwol-gun plans to form its own brand through ecotourism programs utilizing forests and rivers. These efforts will play an important role in activating regional tourism.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment will cooperate to promote the revitalization of provinces and utilize ecotourism as a new driving force for growth. This will bring positive effects to both residents and tourists.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What are the target sites for the ecotourism project in cooperation between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment?
Three places have been selected: Jeonbuk Buan-gun, Chungnam Boryeong-si, and Gangwon Yeongwol-gun.
The target sites for the sustainable regional balanced development and ecotourism activation linked project promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment are the ecological garden and tidal flat healing center in Jeonbuk Buan-gun, the sunset viewpoint in Chungnam Boryeong-si, and the Bongraesan landmark in Gangwon Yeongwol-gun. Each region plans to develop as a differentiated ecotourism hub based on its unique ecological resources and tourism potential.
Q. What are the main goals and background of this cooperative policy?
The goal is to alleviate metropolitan concentration, promote balanced growth in provinces, and activate ecotourism.
This policy aims to alleviate the concentration phenomenon in the metropolitan area and promote balanced growth in the provinces, focusing on the expansion of ecotourism. It aligns with the government's "5 Extremes 3 Specials" regional development strategy and serves as a cornerstone for sustainable development. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment work together to promote regional revitalization and the harmony with ecological resources.
Q. What is the content of the ecotourism project being carried out in Jeonbuk Buan-gun?
Remodeling of the tidal flat healing center and the establishment of an ecological garden, walking paths, and the Sunset Bridge.
In Buan-gun, a project is being conducted to remodel the tidal flat healing center and establish an ecological garden, walking paths, and the Sunset Bridge within the Julpo Bay Wetland Protection Area. The project aims to develop into a residential ecological healing hub that combines healing and relaxation utilizing the Ramsar Site of Julpo Bay. The total project cost is 17 billion KRW, equally funded by national and local governments, each contributing 8.5 billion KRW.
Q. What are the features and components of the Sunset Viewpoint project in Chungnam Boryeong-si?
Creation of a sunset attraction with a skywalk and panorama/Yunseul viewpoints.
Boryeong-si is developing a sunset viewpoint near the West Coast Tourist Road, harmonizing with the ria coastline. It features a 292m long skywalk, a panorama viewpoint (45.1㎡), and a Yunseul viewpoint (39.6㎡), which will be developed as a tourist attraction for sunset enjoyment. The total project cost is planned at 4 billion KRW, with equal contributions from national and local budgets.
Q. What are the plans for creating the Bongraesan landmark in Gangwon Yeongwol-gun?
Creation of a forest ecotourism hub with treehouses, a forest playground, and a treetop road.
The project in Yeongwol-gun aims to create a residential forest and river-linked ecotourism hub utilizing Bongraesan and the Donggang regions. Ten treehouses, a forest playground, a forest garden, and a 1.5 km treetop road will be included in the ecotourism facilities. The total project cost of 47.2 billion KRW will be funded entirely by local government budgets, emphasizing the creation of an ecotourism brand that utilizes natural landscapes.
Q. What is the process and evaluation criteria for project selection?
It goes through briefing sessions, application submissions, expert evaluations/on-site verifications, and final confirmation.
The project starts with a joint briefing in June, followed by local government application receptions in August. Afterward, expert reviews and on-site verifications are conducted, leading to the confirmation of final results. The evaluation criteria include the status of ecotourism infrastructure, potential for links with local resources, operation, community participation, and expected effects of consulting.
Q. What are the future plans and consulting support for the project?
Customized diagnostics and support for specialized tourism program development are scheduled until 2025.
Customized diagnostics and consultations for ecotourism will be provided until November 2025. Regional councils will be operated, and development of specialized tourism programs will be supported. A follow-up diagnosis will also be conducted for the previously collaborated Yeongdeok-gun, aiming to reflect the results in facility design and implementation plans.
Q. What are the expected effects of this cooperative project?
Providing a foundation for regional balanced development, enhancing competitiveness of small and medium-sized cities, and establishing a sustainable tourism base.
The cooperative project will strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized cities and contribute to regional balanced development. Each region is expected to showcase differentiated tourism attractions utilizing unique ecological resources, thereby creating a sustainable tourism industry base. It will positively impact both residents and tourists, playing an important role in regional revitalization.
