New Year's Message from County Governor Yu Cheon-ho of Ganghwa

Respected citizens of Ganghwa, numbering approximately 70,000!

And, distinguished public officials of Ganghwa County, numbering approximately 800!

A bright and hopeful new year of Gapjin (甲辰年) has dawned, bringing new leaps forward and achievements.

Wishing you all happiness and good fortune in the new year!

I extend my gratitude for your active cooperation and support for the development of Ganghwa County over the past year, and I hope that in the new year, health and happiness fill the lives and homes of all our citizens, and that all your wishes come true.

The past year was a time when, despite difficult internal and external circumstances, we resolved long-cherished aspirations of our citizens through strong momentum and multifaceted cooperation and communication, and planted seeds that will become future drivers of new growth.

Beloved citizens of Ganghwa!

Since the launch of the eighth civilian-led government, I have consistently worked to keep my promises to our citizens with the conviction that "when citizens speak, I listen."

As a result, we expanded fishing grounds by 8.2㎢—three times the size of Yeouido—through an upward adjustment of the operating limit line for the first time in 60 years, and further secured a 10 billion won budget through the selection of Janggot Port for the 'Fishing Village Revitalization Initiative.'

Meanwhile, the plan to relax regulations in historically designated cultural heritage conservation areas, a long-cherished aspiration of our citizens, passed review by the Cultural Heritage Administration. Of the 12.25 million pyeong of regulated area, 58 percent—7.1 million pyeong—will soon be deregulated, so that starting this year, citizens will no longer face restrictions on exercising property rights such as construction activities.

Additionally, we expanded from two scholarship dormitories in Seoul to four total—adding one each in Seoul and Incheon—making Ganghwa the first local government in the nation to operate four scholarship dormitories. Ganghwa island rice has been exported to Canada, distribution channels have expanded to urban areas, and a 'Future Healing Agriculture Center' of 17,384㎡ has been built. Furthermore, by actively explaining our county's fiscal difficulties to Incheon City, we reduced Ganghwa County's financial burden rate for agricultural and fishery worker allowances from 50 percent to 30 percent, raising the city's burden rate to 70 percent, thereby saving 1.3 billion won in county expenditures. Starting this year, approximately 11,000 agricultural and fishery workers can receive 600,000 won in annual allowances.

Additionally, the Ganghwa County Welfare Foundation, launched last year, upgraded our county's welfare services to a higher level. To support our seniors' continued health management and preparation for the age of centenarians, we have operated 39 healthcare senior centers.

Since its official opening on May 13 last year, the Hwagae Garden and Hwagae Mountain Observatory, visited by over 300,000 people in 181 days, along with the development of downtown Ganghwa-eup as a nationally representative tourist destination, have brought annual visitor numbers of 17 million, significantly contributing to regional revitalization through influx of daytime population.

Beloved citizens of Ganghwa! And distinguished public officials!

Let me share with you the county administration's vision for the year ahead to bring happiness and prosperity to the lives of our citizens.

First, I will make the daily lives of our citizens even happier!

Starting this year, we will implement free public transportation prioritizing seniors aged 70 and above, who face transportation challenges, to reduce their burden of transportation costs.

Additionally, to manage the health of our seniors in the age of centenarians, we will expand healthcare senior centers from 39 to 54 locations. To prevent various disasters and protect citizens from crimes such as random violence, we will densely install LED security lights and CCTV in every corner of rural villages.

We will also expand the quick-response civil affairs team from one team to two teams to ensure no citizens fall through the cracks of welfare.

Furthermore, to fully guarantee citizens' leisure, sports, culture, and childcare activities, we will expand new public sports facilities to create a comprehensive Ganghwa Sports Town. We will proceed with the construction of community centers in Hapjeom-myeon and Yangsa-myeon—long-held dreams of residents—and with the construction of a Seonwon-myeon Resident Complex Center to address growing population and administrative needs in Seonwon-myeon.

We will also create a new 14,352㎡ child-friendly urban park in the Onsu-ri area of Gilsang-myeon. In Namsang and Administrative Bureau neighborhood parks in Ganghwa-eup, we will add themed landscapes including night lighting to expand resident rest areas. We will operate municipal kids cafes in Ganghwa-eup and Gilsang-myeon at the nation's highest level, creating an environment where mothers feel comfortable having and raising children.

We will also begin full-scale preparations for the construction of Ganghwa County's first specialized performance hall to promote appreciation of and fulfill demands for cultural and artistic performances.

Next, I will prepare our county for the future!

First, to foster future talent in Ganghwa County, we will operate four scholarship dormitories in Seoul and Incheon starting next year, reducing the usage fee from 130,000 won to 100,000 won per month to ease the financial burden on university students and parents.

To foster global youth talent, we will conduct overseas cultural experience and language training programs. This year, we will contribute an additional 3 billion won in scholarship funds to establish a total of 15 billion won in scholarships, with plans to provide scholarships to 120 students. We will also hold university entrance examination briefings for high school students and parents.

To prepare our county's future agriculture and foster young farmers, we will fully operate healing agriculture programs and new technology test plots. We will add a western branch to the existing five agricultural machinery banks, operating a total of six agricultural machinery banks, and establish a smart farm covering 3,900 pyeong incorporating advanced technologies such as smart greenhouses and plant factories.

Through the fishing village revitalization initiative, we will improve poor residential conditions in fishing communities and overcome the crisis of fishing village decline, realizing 'vibrant fishing villages' and 'fishing villages where people want to live.' We will actively support our county's traditional industries of so-chang (ramie cloth) and wangkol (water hyacinth), and strengthen the competitiveness of small business owners through traditional market facility modernization projects, parking lot expansion at Pungnul Market, and consulting and educational support for food service businesses.

With our county receiving 17 million annual visitors, this is the time to foster tourism as a strategic industry and actively promote consumption growth through tourism.

To enhance the competitiveness of Hwagae Garden, our new tourism resource, we will expand tourism content by adding trees and flowers, creating sculptures, and operating diverse event programs. We will create a second parking lot to expand parking capacity. We will activate night tourism and extended-stay tourism by hosting cultural heritage night tours in Ganghwa-eup, expanding attractions in downtown areas, and opening a new Ganghwa Astronomy Science Museum in Hapjeom-myeon. We will develop distinctive local events in each area to actively respond to diverse tourism trends.

Furthermore, through the construction of the Oepo Comprehensive Seafood Market and the development of tourist attractions around Hamsan Park, we will make Oepo Port the nation's premier tourism port, creating a bright future for Ganghwa County. For decades, inadequate broad-area transportation infrastructure has been a major obstacle to regional development.

However, now our county is making unprecedented progress in connecting broad-area transportation networks through the Ganghwa-Gyeyang Expressway, Ganghwa-Yeongjong Island Connection Bridge construction, and the expansion of coastal roads between Choji Bridge and Geocheom Island. To further concretize this, we will continually urge the government and Incheon City for swift implementation.

We will begin construction of the Jumun Island Connection Bridge this year and pursue the Boleum Island Connection Bridge construction as a national fiscal support project, thereby establishing the foundation for development of Seodo-myeon.

Beloved citizens of Ganghwa! And distinguished public officials!

Since taking office, we have been rushing forward breathlessly, but there remain many pending issues to resolve for the happiness of our citizens and regional development.

Despite crises and difficulties, as we always have, I and the public officials of Ganghwa County will do our utmost to keep our promises to our citizens.

If our citizens also encourage us with unified hearts and pool your wisdom and strength, we can bring even sooner the prosperous era of Ganghwa that we envision.

In this new year of Gapjin (甲辰年), I pray that all your wishes come true and that all citizens of Ganghwa enjoy happiness, good health, and abundant blessings.

Thank you.

January 1, 2024

Ganghwa County Governor Yu Cheon-ho