[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province has taken a step closer to resolving the decades-old issue of developing the Haenam Osiano Tourist Complex.
Jeonnam Province announced on the 7th that it has secured 700 million KRW in national budget for next year as design costs for the infrastructure construction of the Osiano Tourist Complex.
This is analyzed as the result of continuous efforts since 2015 to request national funding support for the construction of a sewage treatment plant.
The Osiano Tourist Complex, operated by the Korea Tourism Organization as the project implementer, was designated in 1992 covering approximately 5,073,000㎡ in Jugwang-ri and Hwabong-ri, Hwawon-myeon, Haenam-gun. In 2012, 27 holes of the golf course, roads within the complex, and site development were completed.
Until now, the Osiano Tourist Complex has faced difficulties in project promotion due to the absence of a public sewage treatment facility.
Major facilities such as the golf course have installed and operated individual wastewater treatment facilities, resulting in double costs and becoming an obstacle to private investment.
Even the resort hotel (with 100 rooms) promoted as a leading project this year is aiming for completion in 2022, but the sewage treatment plan has not yet been finalized.
Accordingly, the province formed a dedicated team involving the provincial government, Haenam-gun, and the Korea Tourism Organization to continuously visit local lawmakers and relevant ministries to explain the necessity of national funding support for the construction costs of the public sewage treatment plant.
As a result, from next year, the project costs will be supported by the national budget, resolving the burden of construction costs for the sewage treatment plant.
With the construction costs of the public sewage treatment plant supported by the national budget, private investors can reduce investment costs, and it is expected that active attraction of private facility investments planned in the future will take place.
Furthermore, the Osiano Tourist Complex has completed infrastructure such as water and sewage systems and roads, making it easier to proceed with the project through prompt approval of facility occupancy.
The province expects that securing national funding for the Osiano Tourist Complex public sewage treatment plant will act as a signal to revitalize tourism development projects stagnated by COVID-19, induce the establishment of the ‘Southern Coast New Growth Tourism Belt’?a core policy of Jeonnam?and realize the ‘Blue Tour,’ thereby contributing to regional tourism activation.
Yoon Byung-tae, Jeonnam Province Deputy Governor for Political Affairs, said, “Securing national funding for the sewage treatment plant facility, which was an obstacle to attracting tourism investment, is expected to be a green light for securing domestic and international tourism investors,” and added, “We will actively cooperate to develop the Osiano Tourist Complex as a tourism hub in the southwestern coast.”
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