[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Lee Jae-geun, the mayor of Sancheong County, announced on the 1st during his policy speech that preparations for the successful hosting of the 2023 Sancheong World Traditional Medicine Anti-Aging Expo will be accelerated.
The mayor attended the 2nd regular session of the 279th Sancheong County Council plenary meeting and presented the direction of county administration for the next year along with five strategic goals.
The five strategic goals for 2022 are ▲Preparation for the successful hosting of the 2023 Expo ▲Overcoming COVID-19 and revitalizing the local economy ▲Expansion of welfare and leisure culture facilities and tourism infrastructure ▲Building a prosperous rural area by enhancing brand value ▲Creating a pleasant living environment.
Specifically, in the field of preparing for the successful hosting of the 2023 Expo, the Expo organizing committee will be launched, and a forest healing forest linked with healing experiences and the Korean medicine anti-aging industry will be opened in Donguibogam Village.
In particular, plans include expanding Donguibogam Village’s infrastructure such as establishing a tourism experience facility site on Earth and building a support system for stable production of high-quality strategic medicinal herbs.
Secondly, in the area of overcoming COVID-19 and revitalizing the local economy, the scale of support funds for small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners will be expanded, and job creation projects will be promoted for youth as well as the elderly and low-income groups.
Along with this, the construction of a public parking lot at Sancheong Market and early ordering of various resident-requested construction projects will stimulate the economy.
In the welfare sector, the opening of a family culture center and the construction of a branch of the Disabled Persons’ Hall and San-en Cheongbok Branch will complete the foundation for integrated social welfare services.
In the field of expanding leisure and cultural facilities, the restoration of Hwanajeong, which will serve as a cultural and resting space for local residents, and the construction of Monghakgwan, the Confucian scholars’ hall, will carry on the spirit of Seonbi culture.
In the expansion of tourism and sports infrastructure, to maximize the effect of the opening of the Jirisan Tunnel (Bammeori-jae Tunnel), a Sancheong tourism belt will be established connecting major tourist sites in Sancheong every 10 minutes.
The belt is planned to connect Donguibogam Village with Daewonsa Temple, Namsa Yedam Village, Jungsan Tourist Site, and Hwangmaesan Mountain, as well as Saengcho Sculpture Park.
In agriculture, in line with the rapid online shift due to COVID-19, marketing support for agricultural specialties will be provided both online and offline through platforms such as San-en Cheong Shopping Mall, while securing competitiveness and enhancing brand value through premiumization of local specialties like strawberries and dried persimmons.
In creating a pleasant living environment, administrative efforts will focus on improving residential environments based on government public projects such as the Rural Agreement and Rural Hub Revitalization projects.
Along with this, continuous promotion of urban regeneration New Deal and Saetteul Village projects will improve living conditions in vulnerable areas. Furthermore, fundamental natural disaster prevention measures will be pursued to protect the lives and property of local residents without neglect.
Sancheong County has allocated a budget of 605.7 billion KRW for next year’s key county administration projects. This marks the first time in county administration history that the initial budget has surpassed 600 billion KRW. Compared to last year’s initial budget of 501.2 billion KRW, this is an increase of 104.5 billion KRW.
Mayor Lee Jae-geun stated, “The prolonged impact of COVID-19 has intensified difficulties for the livelihood economy and small and medium-sized business owners. Our county has contributed to economic recovery and stabilization of daily life by promptly providing disaster relief funds in the Sancheong style and hope recovery funds for small business owners.” He added, “We have also confirmed the hosting of the 2023 Expo, which will be a growth engine for our county’s leap forward once again.”
He continued, “All these achievements were possible thanks to the unwavering support and active cooperation of the county council, residents, and the executive branch. Next year, we will do our best to create a premium Sancheong, a happy Sancheong, and to prepare successfully for the 2023 Expo.”
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