Geochang Changpowyun Meets Gyeongnam Province's First Local Garden Standards

30ha National Garden Achieved, Accelerating Toward 2027 National Garden Registration Goal

Geochang County in Gyeongnam announced on the 31st that Geochang Changpo Garden, registered as Gyeongsangnam-do’s first local garden, has expanded its area, planted species, and facilities in accordance with the "Act on the Creation and Promotion of Arboretums and Gardens," and has changed its registration to a local garden with a total area of 424,164㎡.

The initial local garden registration area of Geochang Changpo Garden was approximately 210,000㎡. With the completion of the waterfront ecological resource project in April last year, the expanded area was re-registered, meeting the national garden designation requirement of a total area of 300,000㎡.

A panoramic view of Geochang Changpo Garden.

Application for national garden designation is possible only after three years of operational performance and evaluation following the change of local garden registration. Currently, there are two national gardens: Suncheonman National Garden and Taehwagang National Garden, and there are 10 local gardens nationwide, including Geochang Changpo Garden, the only one in Gyeongnam.

Geochang County aims to register Geochang Changpo Garden as a national garden by 2027. To prepare for the "evaluation of garden quality and operation/management," it plans to establish a vision through a master plan project, build infrastructure that meets national garden standards, and thoroughly prepare by operating various garden experience events.

Currently, various projects are underway at Changpo Garden. The Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office is leading the Hwanggang maintenance project covering about 310,000㎡ in Daehyeon-ri, Namsang-myeon, and Sanpo-ri, Namha-myeon, with a national budget of 21 billion KRW, aiming for completion in August. For the ecological tourism and cultural complex project, a budget of 12.9 billion KRW is allocated to build an outdoor performance hall, multipurpose playground, and cultural center by 2025, with detailed design work underway this year.

Additionally, with a budget of 18 billion KRW, the organic agriculture industry complex service project is being promoted until 2026, expected to establish infrastructure such as exhibition and sales halls, cafes, and experience farms, positioning the area as a representative garden tourist destination in Korea.

County Governor Gu In-mo said, “We are currently conducting a master plan project this year to draw a blueprint for Geochang Changpo Garden’s leap to a national garden.” He added, “Including the second Changpo Garden along with the existing Geochang Changpo Garden, we will secure an area of 900,000ha, comparable to Ulsan Taehwagang or Suncheonman National Gardens. We plan to develop Geochang into the center of garden culture by creating the largest waterfront ecological garden in Korea, differentiated from other gardens.”