900 Billion KRW National Budget Invested to Accelerate Construction of Five River Bridges Including Yaksan-Geumil
In June of last year, (left) Shin Woo-cheol, Wando County Governor, is meeting with former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun to discuss the promotion of the Wando~Goheung Coastal Tourist Road to a national highway. (Photo by Wando County)
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil] The national highway upgrade of the coastal tourism road between Wando and Goheung, the largest pending project in Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do, has been finalized.
According to the county on the 13th, on the 12th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that 14 sections will be upgraded to national highways and nationally supported local highways to systematically manage them, connecting disconnected road sections and providing basic transportation rights to island areas.
The coastal tourism road between Wando and Goheung, upgraded to a national highway, is a project connecting the 42.4 km section of Yaksan?Geumil?Geumdang?Geogeumdo in Goheung with five bridges, with a national budget of 900.8 billion KRW invested. The construction of the Yaksan?Geumil connecting bridge will be prioritized.
The county has made all-out efforts to change the starting point of National Route 27, located in Geogeumdo, Goheung, to Wando Gogeum and upgrade it to a national highway.
Wando County Governor Shin Woo-cheol personally visited the Blue House, National Assembly, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport over 60 times, meeting more than 100 key figures including former Prime Ministers Chung Sye-kyun and Lee Nak-yeon, National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, and Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Jae-gap to request the national highway upgrade.
In October last year, Wando residents, expatriates, the county council including Chairman Heo Gung-hee, provincial councilors, Goheung County, and Haenam County jointly launched a signature campaign for the national highway upgrade, delivering the support of over 170,000 people to the Presidential Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, National Assembly Speaker, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Additionally, 165 students from Geumil-eup sent handwritten letters to the Presidential Secretariat, contributing with their young hands.
Furthermore, a committee for promoting the Yaksan?Geumil connecting bridge was formed to gather local residents’ aspirations, and in cooperation with Goheung County, jointly requested the national highway upgrade.
Both Wando County Council and Goheung County Council adopted joint resolutions urging the national highway upgrade, and seven provincial governors issued a joint proposal for the designation of general national highway routes.
In particular, Governor Kim Young-rok empathized with the necessity of constructing the Wando?Goheung coastal tourism road and provided full support for the national highway upgrade.
Wando County Governor Shin Woo-cheol said, “I thank everyone who contributed to the national highway upgrade of the Wando?Goheung coastal tourism road, a 20-year-old wish of Wando residents,” adding, “With the national highway upgrade, the 88 km distance will be shortened, logistics costs reduced, accessibility between Yeongnam and Honam improved, and marine tourism demand created, enabling Wando to leap forward as a marine tourism hub city.”
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