New Year's Address Ganghwa County Governor Park Yong-chul

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] Ganghwa County Governor Park Yong-chul presented strengthening people's livelihoods and securing future growth drivers as two pillars of county administration through his New Year's address, unveiling a blueprint for "a better place to live in Ganghwa" and a "leaping Ganghwa."

The vision is to more carefully address people's livelihood issues such as education, welfare, and residential environments, while unwavering steadily pursuing key strategies to drive the region's leap forward, including designation as an economic free zone, establishment of the National Ganghwa Goryeo Museum, and creation of a peace economy special zone.

County Governor Park Yong-chul said, "Over the past year, thanks to all county residents uniting their hearts, we overcame an unprecedented crisis of North Korea's noise attacks, achieved the success of the government budget allocation for the basic planning project of the National Ganghwa Goryeo Museum, and have the groundbreaking of the Gyeyang~Ganghwa Expressway in sight."

He continued, "2026 is the time to turn Ganghwa County's potential into reality together with all county residents," revealing a county administration roadmap by sector that will closely address people's livelihoods while leading sustainable future growth.

■ Strengthening welfare and education foundations

First, in the welfare and education sectors, the plan is to further strengthen the foundation so that no one is left behind and everyone can receive necessary services.

For seniors' happy daily life, initiatives include △promoting knee joint replacement surgery subsidies △expanding free public transportation for seniors to include passenger ferries △introducing safety services for elderly living alone △providing support for community center exterior painting.

Support for youth will also expand. △housing expense support for college students not accommodated in dormitories △rental expense support for newlywed couples in public rental housing △expanding transportation subsidy for pregnant women to 1 million won will be implemented in earnest.

Infrastructure expansion will continue. The △new annex construction of the elderly welfare center and △youth complex cultural town development projects, which are in construction procedures, will accelerate further, while △a new disability community will be constructed.

■ Transitioning from "visiting tourism" to "staying tourism"

In the tourism sector, efforts will be made to convert the existing tourism pattern of "day-visit" focused tourism to "stay-type tourism" through strategies centered on nighttime, experience, and marine attractions.

In detail, △the night-lighting project for Manisan Mountain △creation of national heritage media art △enhancing Seokmo Island's mineral spa functions △introduction of 4D screening systems at Ganghwa Astronomy and Science Museum will build new nighttime tourism content and strengthen competitiveness of existing facilities.

Additionally, △the "Open Heritage Project" will be pursued to utilize national heritage as cultural spaces in daily life, creating a culture where national heritage becomes a gift rather than a restriction, and △the "Living a Week in Ganghwa" program will diversify stay-type tourism patterns.

New tourism content development will also be pursued. △A comprehensive tourist space linking a naval park and direct fish market will be created in Waipo-ri, Nae-myeon △In Gilsang-myeon, historical and natural resources will be discovered through regional specialization projects in the Onsu Village area, building a virtuous cycle leading to local economic revitalization.

■ Revitalizing the local economy and enhancing agricultural and fishery competitiveness

To revive local economic vitality, customized measures will be implemented for small business owners, employment, and agriculture and fishery overall.

For youth settlement in the region, △startup and job center functions will be strengthened and △support for youth local creator entrepreneurship will expand. Additionally, △small enterprise environment improvement projects will enhance working environments and production conditions for SMEs.

For small business owners, △designation of alley-type commercial areas △creation of outdoor parking lots at the Pungmul Market will help recover and revitalize local commercial areas.

In agriculture, fundamental countermeasures will be established to address rural aging and labor shortages to enhance competitiveness. △Digital and automation system support for expanding smart facility horticulture △introducing foreign seasonal worker programs to ease labor shortages △relocating the agricultural machinery bank's Gyeodong branch to improve accessibility.

Additionally, △creating Gangdeulmi cultivation sites △providing incentives to activate Ganghwa Goryeo Ginseng will raise the brand value of Ganghwa Island agricultural products.

In the fishery and aquaculture sector, △rural revitalization projects in Seontuhang and other fishing villages △improving functions of major fishing ports including Saha-dong Port △attracting aquaculture seed research institutes △extending port entry times during peak fishing seasons will focus on enhancing aquaculture competitiveness.

■ Creating a better-living Ganghwa through residential infrastructure expansion

Ganghwa County will focus on improving residents' living convenience and strengthening residential safety through expansion of basic living facilities.

First, in the road and transportation sector, △opening a bypass road at Almijeol intersection △organizing transportation networks around the Gyeyang~Ganghwa Expressway △introducing direct M-buses to Seoul Station △adding capacity on buses 800 and 801 between Ganghwa and Incheon △creating transfer parking lots will enhance accessibility and transportation convenience.

Sports and cultural infrastructure to enhance living vitality will also be expanded. △The residents' complex center in Seonwon-myeon △residents' autonomous centers in Yangsa-myeon currently under construction will be completed without delay, while △new residents' autonomous centers in Gyeodong-myeon and Songhae-myeon will be newly pursued.

Additionally, △construction of a par-3 golf course △construction of a senior-friendly national sports center △creation of a northern sports town △creation of a multipurpose gymnasium in Hwado-myeon will significantly improve residents' sports and leisure environment.

At the same time, △expansion of public sewers △urban gas supply △LPG pipeline distribution △improvement of aging facilities in apartment complexes and other essential living infrastructure will be pursued with momentum to improve the residential environment.

■ Preparing future growth drivers to lead Ganghwa's leap forward

County Governor Park Yong-chul emphasized Ganghwa County's future strategy and clarified his determination to use it as a key solution to overcome the regional depopulation crisis.

The Ganghwa Economic Free Zone designation and establishment of the National Ganghwa Goryeo Museum, which have been pursued as priority projects since taking office, will also be pursued unwavering, he announced.

The Ganghwa Economic Free Zone aims for designation in March, concentrating administrative efforts, while the National Ganghwa Goryeo Museum will target completion in 2032, marking the 800th anniversary of Ganghwa's establishment as the capital, with active support for smooth government-level basic planning projects.

Additionally, the creation of a peace economy special zone will be taken as a new future strategy and preparations will commence. Preemptively responding to the government's peace economy special zone competition, the plan is to convert the constraints of being a border region into opportunities for development.

Governor Park said, "The creation of a peace economy special zone is a great opportunity for Ganghwa to take on a new role as a gateway to Korean Peninsula peace and inter-Korean cooperation," emphasizing, "Just as today's steps create tomorrow, I will stride forward vigorously with 700,000 county residents and 800 civil servants for a better future."