Jogyuil Jinju Mayor: "I Will Develop Wolasan Forest in Jinju into a National Garden"... Meeting with Choi Byungam, Korea Forest Service Chief

Joo Kyu-il, Mayor of Jinju City, Visits Korea Forest Service to Propose Wolasan National Garden Project
[Image Source=Jinju City]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jo Gyu-il, mayor of Jinju City, expressed a strong determination to develop the area of ‘Wolasan Forest Pearl of Jinju’ into a national garden.

According to Jinju City on the 7th, Mayor Jo visited the Government Daejeon Complex the previous day and met with Choi Byung-am, head of the Korea Forest Service, requesting, “After establishing the Wolasan Forest Pearl of Jinju area as a local garden, please actively support its designation as a national garden.”

On that day, Mayor Jo stated, “Based on the precious forest of ‘Wolasan Forest Pearl of Jinju,’ we intend to include the surrounding areas and develop it into a national garden,” adding, “I want to bring new hope to citizens engaged in seedling and ornamental tree cultivation during the project implementation process.”

Records also indicate that along the Namgang River in the Geumsan-myeon area surrounding Wolasan, a garden called Geumcheon Gugok was established in the mid-Joseon period by the scholar Seong Yeoshin (1546?1632), who modeled it after Zhu Xi’s Wuyigugok in China.

Referring to these records, Mayor Jo emphasized that the site has the optimal historical context to express our traditional culture based on the spirit of Neo-Confucianism through a garden.

In response, Choi Byung-am, head of the Korea Forest Service, said, “Projects aiming to conserve forest resources while developing them as tourism resources align with the Korea Forest Service’s policy direction,” and also advised, “Since many other local governments are interested in the garden sector, differentiation is important.”

Following the meeting with the head of the Korea Forest Service, Mayor Jo plans to visit the National Sejong Arboretum on the 8th to request technical support for the creation of a large-scale garden.