Nine Adjacent Cities and Counties in Gangwon and Gyeonggi Provinces Agree on 'Mutual Cooperation'

Nine cities and counties where Gangwon Province and Gyeonggi Province share administrative borders have jointly agreed to mutual communication and sustainable exchange and cooperation.

On the 7th, Gangwon Province and Gyeonggi Province held a 'Gangwon-Gyeonggi Mutual Cooperation Forum' at KT&G Sangsang Madang in Chuncheon, bringing together municipal and county governments.

The forum was attended by nine local governments: Chuncheon, Wonju, Hoengseong, and Cheorwon in Gangwon Province, and Yeoju, Yangpyeong, Pocheon, Gapyeong, and Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province, which are adjacent to these Gangwon cities and counties.

Approximately 70 people attended, including Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon and Gyeonggi Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Kim Si-seong, chairman of the Gangwon Provincial Assembly, Yoon Hwa-seop, chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, provincial assembly members from both provinces, and heads of the nine cities and counties.

Governor Choi Moon-soon of Gangwon said, "The closer we are geographically, the more conflicts arise, making mutual cooperation difficult. When we discussed mutual cooperation last year, I was concerned it might become merely a show, but I am pleased that we have discussed concrete cooperation projects and achieved results. I hope this will provide practical benefits to the residents of both provinces."
Governor Nam Kyung-pil of Gyeonggi stated, "Gangwon and Gyeonggi are at the heart of the Korean Peninsula, and when both provinces join forces, national security of the Republic of Korea will be strengthened. There have been conflicts between adjacent cities and counties, but if we offset them through cooperation, a true model of provincial cooperation that involves communication, empathy, and collaboration—a first for the Republic of Korea—will be completed. Gyeonggi Province will do its utmost in cooperation projects, including the PyeongChang Olympics."

On this day, Gangwon Province, Gyeonggi Province, and the adjacent cities and counties agreed through a joint statement to cooperate on ensuring the successful hosting of the PyeongChang Olympics and expanding transportation networks connecting the adjacent regions.

Both provinces will make joint efforts to organize joint cheering squads for the PyeongChang Olympics and establish professional winter sports teams. Additionally, both provinces and Wonju City, Hoengseong County, and Yeoju City will reasonably share the budget for constructing the Wonju regional crematorium facility and jointly use the facility.

Cheorwon County, Pocheon City, and Yeoncheon County will jointly work to obtain UNESCO Global Geopark certification for the Hantan River and will share survey service costs. Wonju City, Yeoju City, and Yangpyeong County will jointly operate a doctor helicopter for emergency patient transport.

Furthermore, adjacent cities and counties will jointly work on installing two pedestrian bridges to close gaps in the Hantan River ecological circulation trail, designating the Nam-i and Jara Islands as a special tourism district, opening a car-only road between Namyangju and Chuncheon, and expanding and paving National Routes 3 and 6 and County Road 4.