Gapyeong County: "Must Establish Eco-Friendly Waterfront Tourism Hub in Northeast Gyeonggi"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Gapyeong County has embarked on a joint regional initiative to transform the northeast Gyeonggi waterfront from a "space of regulations and sacrifice" into a "space of opportunity and mutual benefit."

On the 22nd, six cities and counties in northeast Gyeonggi—Gapyeong County, Gwangju City, Guri City, Namyangju City, Yangpyeong County, and Hanam City—submitted a joint petition to Gyeonggi Province requesting policy cooperation and support for establishing an eco-friendly waterfront tourism hub centered on the Bukhan River and Paldang Lake.

Additionally, they requested a meeting with the Gyeonggi Province governor to discuss solutions to regional issues and balanced development plans for northeast Gyeonggi.

The six cities and counties launched the "Northeast Gyeonggi Eco-Friendly Waterfront Tourism Cooperation Council" (hereinafter referred to as the Council) in May.

Subsequently, they reached consensus on resolving long-standing shared challenges and realizing regional mutual benefit through establishing an eco-friendly waterfront tourism hub in northeast Gyeonggi, centered on the Bukhan River and Paldang Lake (dam), linked with the Han River system.

The submission of this joint petition marks the Council's first joint response, undertaken to ensure organic cooperation in advancing issues in tourism and regulatory sectors.

The joint petition contains requests for multilateral cooperation and support at the provincial level for establishing an eco-friendly waterfront tourism hub, including △reflecting flagship projects in upper-level plans △institutional support for forming tourism zones △joint response to regulatory improvements.

The Council specifically stated, "Solving problems resulting from current structural and institutional constraints is limited by individual efforts at the city and county level," and "presented as the core of the joint petition the need for macro-level cooperation, coordination, and support at the regional level through linkage with northeast Gyeonggi-related policies being pursued by Gyeonggi Province, such as 'Gyeonggi Northern Mega-Development 2040' and 'Gyeonggi East and West Social Infrastructure (SOC) Development.'"

Governor Seo Tae-won of Gapyeong County stated, "Based on the natural waterfront assets of the Bukhan River, Gapyeong County is pursuing the 'Bukhan River Millennium Waterway Project' and 'Aquatic Leisure Comprehensive Center Construction,' and aims to transform the waterfront space, which had been a symbol of regulations, into a hub for stay-type tourism and regional economic revitalization."

He further emphasized, "Since individual local governments' efforts alone have limitations, we must systematically construct waterfront tourism infrastructure through regional cooperation involving Gyeonggi Province and cities and counties in northeast Gyeonggi, and create a new growth model where environmental conservation and regional development coexist."