Chungnam Begins Planning 'Blueprint' for Bay Valley Megacity

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province is starting to design the blueprint for the Bay Valley Megacity construction project.

The province announced on the 16th that it held a Bay Valley Megacity expert workshop at the Gongju Art Center Goma Convention Hall.

The workshop was attended by about 40 people including Kim Young-seok, co-head of the public-private joint task force (former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries), members, and advisory committee members. It was organized to share the direction of the research project for establishing the basic plan of the Bay Valley Megacity and to discuss the blueprint and ways to discover new projects.

At the workshop, the public-private joint task force shared the direction of the research project and reviewed the scope and contents of the tasks.

The province plans to hold subcommittee meetings of the public-private joint task force regularly, complete the research project by October, and proclaim the Bay Valley Megacity vision in November.

The Bay Valley Megacity will be centered on developing the Asan Bay area, which covers the northern Chungnam region including Cheonan, Asan, Dangjin, and Seosan, as well as the southern Gyeonggi region including Pyeongtaek, Anseong, Hwaseong, and Osan, into a leading domestic hub for the 4th industrial revolution (semiconductors, displays, hydrogen economy, etc.).

The main directions include fostering the Asan Bay area as a key base for South Korea’s economic development, establishing a foundation for national development and regional co-prosperity, attracting companies, and creating jobs to stimulate the local economy.

Key projects include ▲ establishing a circular railway around Asan Bay (Pyeongtaek?Asan?Cheonan) ▲ creating a large-scale cutting-edge industrial belt in the adjacent Chungnam and Gyeonggi areas ▲ improving logistics environment at Dangjin and Pyeongtaek International Ports and developing them as forward bases for exports to China ▲ restoring the Chungnam Free Economic Zone Authority and establishing a public-private co-prosperity committee.

Additionally, the detailed projects of the Bay Valley Megacity include creating a Korean-style Gold Coast between Ansan Daebudo and Boryeong undersea tunnel, establishing a hydrogen energy convergence industrial belt, securing water resources in the northwestern Chungnam region, and expanding support for areas around U.S. military bases.

Since July 1 last year, when Governor Kim Tae-heum of Chungnam Province designated the Bay Valley Megacity construction promotion plan as his first official approval after taking office, the province has sequentially proceeded with signing agreements with Gyeonggi Province, forming the public-private joint task force and advisory committee, and holding working-level meetings with Gyeonggi Province.

Currently, the focus is on analyzing the current status and conditions of the Asan Bay area and exploring cooperative measures between Chungnam and Gyeonggi regions while conducting research for establishing the basic plan.

Kim Young-seok, co-head of the public-private joint task force, said, “The Bay Valley Megacity will create future sources of income and become a new growth engine leading the nation’s leap forward. We will join forces with Gyeonggi Province to make it a great leading model for South Korea.”