Goheung-gun Selects 'BEST 12' Military Administration Achievements in the First Year of the 8th Civilian Term

Efforts to Achieve the Vision of 100,000 Population in Goheung in 10 Years

Attracting Large-Scale National Projects Such as Designation of National Industrial Complex

Gohung-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Gong Young-min) announced on the 2nd that it has selected and announced the ‘Top 12 Administrative Achievements’ to mark the first anniversary of the 8th local government administration.

The Top 12 include ▲Designation of Gohung as a space launch vehicle industry cluster, emerging as a space hub city ▲Designation of the first national space launch vehicle industrial complex in Gohung-gun ▲Establishment of a drone (UAM) hub city through drone demonstration and commercialization ▲Full-scale operation of the Smart Farm Innovation Valley and promotion of large-scale Gohung-type smart farm innovation valley for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries ▲Promotion of transportation infrastructure such as the Gwangju~Naro Space Center highway and railway construction from Beolgyo Station to Gohung Station~Nokdong Station ▲Securing national funds through attraction of large-scale national projects ▲Development of Nokdong New Port as a logistics base for Jeju and expansion of agricultural and marine product distribution between Gohung and Jeju ▲Branding of Gohung agricultural and marine products and expansion of domestic and international sales channels ▲Realization of the warmest welfare for residents nationwide ▲Differentiated population inflow strategy as the No. 1 destination for returning farmers and fishermen ▲Infrastructure development for the era of 10 million tourists ▲Realization of a happy Gohung through citizen integration.

[Photo by Goheung-gun]

The Top 1 achievement is ‘Designation of the space launch vehicle industry cluster and emergence as a space hub city.’

The government will invest 1.6 trillion KRW by 2031 in eight fields and 24 core tasks including a national industrial complex, private launch sites, and a space science complex in Gohung.

The Top 2 achievement is ‘Designation of the first national space launch vehicle industrial complex in Gohung-gun.’

With the confirmation of the first national industrial complex in Gohung-gun in March this year, the space industry, a core strategic industry of Gohung-gun, has gained momentum.

According to expert analysis, the economic ripple effect is expected to be significant, with a production inducement effect of 4.9 trillion KRW and employment inducement effect of about 20,000 jobs.

In May this year, a current issues meeting for the successful promotion of the national industrial complex was held at Gohung County Office with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Governor of Jeollanam-do, Gohung-gun Governor, President of Korea Land and Housing Corporation, and President of Jeonnam Development Corporation. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport promised to swiftly support the permit procedures by forming a pan-government promotion support team and to assist in improving residential conditions and accessibility, which are challenges for Gohung-gun.

The Top 3 achievement is ‘Establishment of a drone (UAM) hub city through drone demonstration and commercialization.’

Gohung-gun possesses infrastructure capable of everything from research and development to demonstration and certification related to aviation (drone·UAM), including the nation’s largest flight airspace, the National Comprehensive Flight Performance Test Center, Gohung Aviation Center, and Gohung Drone Center.

Starting this August, major domestic companies such as SKT, Hyundai Motor Company, and Lotte will begin UAM (future flying vehicle) open field demonstrations in Gohung.

After the UAM open field demonstration ends, the county signed business agreements with Korean Air and Daewoo Construction to commercialize UAM for tourism products traveling the South Coast tourism belt, and is currently conducting a route establishment feasibility study for UAM routes between Gohung and the South Coast tourism belt.

Meanwhile, since May this year, a drone show has been held every Saturday night at Nokdong Port, attracting many tourists nationwide. By the end of June, the cumulative number of tourists exceeded 40,000, and restaurants in the Nokdong area have been bustling, greatly contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.

The Top 4 achievement is ‘Full-scale operation of the Smart Farm Innovation Valley and promotion of large-scale Gohung-type smart farm innovation valley for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries.’

In November last year, the Gohung Smart Farm Innovation Valley (33ha) was completed, and specialized smart farm education is conducted annually for 52 prospective young farmers recruited nationwide.

Plans are underway to expand a large-scale Gohung-type smart farm innovation valley of 600,000 to 700,000 pyeong around the existing Smart Farm Innovation Valley, aiming to make this area a core hub for future advanced agriculture leading South Korea.

The Top 5 achievement is ‘Promotion of transportation infrastructure such as the Gwangju~Naro Space Center highway and railway construction from Beolgyo Station to Gohung Station~Nokdong Station.’

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is conducting a preliminary planning study for the construction of an 87.7 km straight highway between Gwangju, Gohung-eup, and Naro Space Center, and Gohung-gun has commissioned a preliminary feasibility study for the construction of a railway network between Gohung Station and Nokdong Station.

It is expected that the revolutionary improvement of transportation infrastructure such as highways will greatly influence not only the creation of the space launch vehicle cluster but also tourism activation and improvement of residents’ living conditions.

The Top 6 achievement is ‘Securing national funds through attraction of large-scale national projects.’

During the first year of the 8th local government administration, 480 billion KRW of national funds were secured through the attraction of large-scale national projects and public contests.

Major projects include ▲Fishing vessel construction support center project (49 billion KRW) ▲Urban flood response in priority sewage maintenance areas (54.3 billion KRW) ▲Nokdong district comprehensive flood damage prevention project (49.8 billion KRW) ▲Smart livestock ICT pilot complex establishment (33.5 billion KRW) ▲Fisheries village vitality promotion project (20 billion KRW) ▲Nokdong Port Clean National Fishing Port pilot project (15 billion KRW), among other substantial projects that local residents can feel directly.

The Top 7 achievement is ‘Development of Nokdong New Port as a logistics base for Jeju and expansion of agricultural and marine product distribution between Gohung and Jeju.’

Since December last year, Gohung-gun has been promoting an exchange and cooperation project with Jeju Island, leading joint cooperation in various fields such as agricultural and marine product distribution, logistics, culture, and tourism between the two regions.

They are promoting the development of Nokdong New Port as a logistics forward base for Jeju and upgrading Nokdong New Port to a locally managed trade port through port development to attract large passenger and cargo ships, in cooperation with Jeollanam-do.

The Top 8 achievement is ‘Branding of Gohung agricultural and marine products and expansion of domestic and international sales channels.’

In September last year, the Gohung agricultural and marine product export pioneering team, led by Governor Gong Young-min, opened local markets in Europe and the United States, achieving export agreements worth 43 million USD.

Gohung Mall, the county’s direct-operated shopping mall, is conducting various promotions aiming for 10 billion KRW in sales this year, showing an upward sales trend. Numerous supply marketing agreements have been signed with domestic and international distribution platform companies, establishing a solid system that allows farmers and fishermen to focus solely on production without worrying about sales channels.

The Top 9 achievement is ‘Realization of the warmest welfare for residents nationwide.’

Although government budgets for senior citizen jobs have decreased, an additional 2.8 billion KRW of county funds were secured to allow seniors willing to work to participate in jobs without waiting, providing jobs to 3,696 people, an increase of 755 compared to the previous year.

Additionally, warm services that residents can feel have been expanded, including free shingles vaccination for seniors over 65, a dedicated primary care physician system for the elderly, public laundry services, and expanded childbirth incentives.

Furthermore, welfare facilities have been expanded with the completion of Doyang Senior Health Welfare Town and the construction of a comprehensive welfare center for the disabled. The county also simultaneously obtained international standard (ISO) certifications in health safety and disaster management to enable safer and faster resident services.

The Top 10 achievement is ‘No. 1 destination for returning farmers and fishermen, differentiated population inflow strategy.’

Following the achievement of the highest number of returning farmers in Jeollanam-do as of the end of last year, Gohung-gun achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Korea Brand Hall of Fame award in the returning farmers and fishermen city category for five consecutive years in 2023.

Efforts are underway to improve residential conditions through the creation of public rental housing complexes and land development by region, and a visiting homecoming and migration campaign is actively conducted to attract former residents from large cities and the baby boom generation.

Gohung operates the nation’s first returning farmers and fishermen school and has assigned dedicated personnel to support settlement, showcasing a systematic system that takes responsibility from settlement support to aftercare.

The Top 11 achievement is ‘Infrastructure development for the era of 10 million tourists.’

Gohung-gun is preparing to welcome the era of 10 million tourists by developing tourism resources through selection and concentration and establishing tourism infrastructure in five regions.

To build large-scale accommodation and other tourism infrastructure, a 200 billion KRW Gohung Resort Village by LF Co., Ltd. is being developed, including an art museum, resort, and marine leisure facilities. CN Island Co., Ltd. is developing the 500 billion KRW Gohung Marine Art Land, which will include hotels, resorts, and golf courses as large-scale accommodation facilities.

The Space Science Complex will be established as a landmark of Gohung tourism, and UAM, or ‘drones that people ride,’ will be commercialized to allow viewing of the scenic beauty of the South Coast tourism belt.

The Top 12 achievement is ‘Realization of a happy Gohung through citizen integration.’

Based on citizen integration without division caused by election aftermath, large projects are being promoted. The county is conducting merit- and career-based balanced personnel appointments for public officials, strengthening the authority of eup and myeon heads, promoting county governor’s eup and myeon visits in a discussion format with residents, and actively branding Gohung County Office with integrity and kindness.

Governor Gong Young-min said, “Since taking office in the 8th local government administration, we have prioritized citizen integration and focused on responsible administration that communicates with residents for Gohung’s change, development, and regional economic vitality,” adding, “Together with over 1,300 public officials, we will strive to help Gohung take a leap forward and ensure that large-scale national projects are actively promoted.”

Gohung = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shim Jeong-woo hss79@asiae.co.kr