First Groundbreaking of Youth Hostel in Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam... Expected to Revitalize Local Economy

Holding a Safety Prayer Ceremony and Linking It to the Tourism Industry

Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam Province, held a safety prayer ceremony on the 2nd to ensure the smooth resumption of the youth hostel construction and prevent safety accidents, officially commencing the construction.

Officials from Goseong-gun, the project implementer Goseong Green Power, and the construction company attended the safety prayer ceremony.

Representatives from Goseong Green Power and the construction company stated, “We will thoroughly prepare by anticipating potential complaints that may arise during the construction,” adding, “We will ensure that vehicles passing through adjacent villages drive safely at low speeds, and assign guides at the main entrance of the construction site to prevent traffic inconvenience, thereby implementing thorough traffic safety measures.”

Perspective view of Goseong-gun Youth Hostel, Gyeongnam. [Image courtesy of Goseong-gun Office]

Additionally, to minimize noise and scattered dust at the construction site, weekend work will be avoided, and measures such as installing vehicle covers on construction vehicles entering the site, setting up dust prevention nets, and continuous watering will be implemented.

Furthermore, the county and Goseong Green Power plan to install a ‘Complaint Reception Information Signboard’ at the construction site and a ‘Complaint Reception Desk’ inside the site office to promptly respond to complaints from nearby residents.

County Governor Sang-geun Lee said, “With this safety prayer ceremony, the previously halted youth hostel construction has officially begun,” and added, “We will prioritize safety above all in carrying out the construction.”

The project budget consists of 14 billion KRW from Goseong Green Power’s win-win cooperation fund and 10 billion KRW from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s special support project fund, establishing infrastructure that can boost the local economy.

The currently designed youth hostel covers a total floor area of 7,199㎡, with 47 rooms and a capacity of 234 people, and is composed of four buildings harmonizing with the surrounding green spaces of Namsan Park.

It is planned to include various convenience facilities for guests to stay longer and relax, as well as a large convention hall with a capacity of 300 people to host MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) events such as international conferences, training sessions, workshops, and exhibitions, making it a promising new growth project for Goseong-gun.

The project implementer is Goseong Green Power, and after completion by the end of 2024, the facility will be donated and transferred to Goseong-gun, which will own and operate it.

Jong-chun Kim, head of the Population and Youth Promotion Team in charge of the youth hostel project, said, “This youth hostel construction project aims to establish a foundation for longer stays in Goseong-gun and will serve as a signal to lead in the era of local government competition.”

The Goseong-gun youth hostel construction project underwent feasibility studies and basic planning in 2019, followed by county management plan approval in October 2020, and implementation plan approval in May 2021. The civil engineering and architectural construction contracts were completed in July 2021; however, the project was suspended in October 2021 due to the non-approval of the public property management plan.

Following the audit results from the Board of Audit and Inspection at the end of January this year, a construction promotion plan was established, and the project resumed in March 2023 with the goal of completion by the end of 2024.