Hwaseong Special City Steps Up Safety Inspections Ahead of Temporary Opening of 'Golden Coastal Road,' Korea's Largest Marine Deck

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Hwaseong Special City announced it will conduct comprehensive pre-opening safety inspections to ensure public safety ahead of the temporary opening of the 'Golden Coastal Road,' a domestic large-scale coastal deck-type tourism infrastructure.

The Golden Coastal Road project, backed by a total investment of 49 billion won, involves the creation of a 17km coastal promenade connecting Jebu Marina to Gungpyeong Port and Baekmi Port, consisting of 4.4km of marine deck and 12.6km of coastal trails. The project, which began construction in 2022, is currently being pursued with a completion target this year.

To this end, the city will conduct phased inspections in three rounds from April 21 to May 8, focusing intensive checks on structural stability and operational safety centering on the marine deck section.

In particular, this inspection is reinforced with professionalism and objectivity through the participation of a 'Safety Management Advisory Panel' composed of 17 experts from various fields including civil engineering, architecture, electricity, gas, landscaping, and water supply and sewerage. The first inspection will be conducted by the advisory panel, the second inspection by senior officials including the Urban Policy Director and Culture and Tourism Director, and the third inspection by field visits by the Deputy Mayor and District Chief.

The inspection targets focus on the 4.4km marine deck section of the total 17km Golden Coastal Road, comprehensively checking structural connection points, railing safety, slip-prevention facilities, night lighting, and installation status of safety facilities.

The city plans to immediately implement remedial measures for risk factors and areas requiring improvement discovered during inspections, with completion of all identified issues before temporary opening.

Kim Myung-sook, Director of the Tourism Promotion Division, stated, "Since the Golden Coastal Road is a representative marine tourism infrastructure visited by citizens and tourists, safety is the top priority above all else," adding, "Through expert inspections and administrative checks in parallel, we will prevent risk factors in advance and create a pedestrian environment where citizens can use it with confidence."