Yangpyeong's Yangsu-ri Named UN Tourism's '2025 Best Tourism Village'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] On the 17th, Dumulmul-meori in Yangsu-ri, Yangseomyeon, Yangpyeong-gun was selected as the '2025 Best Tourism Village' at the UN Tourism 'Best Tourism Village Awards Ceremony' held in Anji County, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.

The awards ceremony was held at the Future Science and Technology City International Convention and Exhibition Center in Yangsan, and was conducted by comprehensively evaluating rural areas from countries around the world based on △preservation of natural and cultural heritage △resident-centered tourism △sustainable practice capacity, and other factors to select outstanding villages.

Dumulmul-meori in Yangsu-ri met strict evaluation criteria and surpassed numerous competing villages to achieve international certification from the UN.

At the awards ceremony, Vice County Governor Ma Sun-heung and Yoo 5-ri's Village Chief Min Kyeong-hwan, to which Dumulmul-meori belongs, attended on behalf of County Governor Jeon Jin-seon, who was unable to attend due to official county business.

The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, now UN Tourism) has been evaluating and certifying villages from countries around the world since 2021 through the 'Best Tourism Village' selection project to address regional imbalances and population decline in rural areas through tourism and to discover and promote hidden local tourism resources.

Applicant targets are villages based on agriculture, forestry, fishery, and livestock industry with a population of less than 15,000, sharing the values and lifestyle of the local community, and applications are possible only on an individual village basis.

Accordingly, Dumulmul-meori village in Yangsu 5-ri, representing Yangpyeong-gun, applied independently and achieved a historic accomplishment.

On the international stage where only six domestic villages had been recognized until last year, Yangsu-ri in Yangpyeong-gun and Eupnae-ri in Muju-gun were added, continuing the legacy of South Korea's tourism villages.

'Dumulmul-meori' is the point where the Namhan River and Bukhan River merge to form Korea's Hangang River, and is a historically significant location formed in the old ferry area of Yangsu-ri in Yangseomyeon.

The area has been consecutively selected for seven years to 'Korea's Top 100 Tourist Attractions,' establishing itself as a representative tourism destination of South Korea, and the scenery harmonizing a centuries-old zelkova tree over 400 years old and traditional wooden sailboats is greatly beloved by photographers and travelers both domestically and internationally.

In particular, the beautiful natural landscape has become widely known through social media services (SNS), receiving attention as a destination visited by many.

County Governor Jeon Jin-seon stated, "This award is a very meaningful achievement in which the beautiful nature of Dumulmul-meori and the long-standing efforts of village residents to preserve it have been internationally recognized," adding, "This will be an important opportunity for Yangpyeong's Dumulmul-meori to leap beyond South Korea toward becoming a world-renowned tourism destination."

He further added, "As much as it has been recognized on the international stage, we will strive further to develop Dumulmul-meori into a model of sustainable tourism so that it can lead the future of South Korea's tourism industry."