Goheung-gun Transforms Abandoned Empty Houses into 'Eogastei'

11 Universities' Youth Gather to Create Eogastei

Fisheries Village New Vitality Promotion Project, Vacant House Regeneration, etc.

A camp was held in an aging fishing village where a large number of young people and university students participated to transform vacant houses that had been neglected for decades into ‘young and trendy’ fishery homestays in collaboration with local residents.

This event took place in a region facing population decline and numerous abandoned vacant houses, where youth and residents jointly created spatial content that fosters connections and attachment between generations and the community. It is gaining attention as a DIT (Do It, Together) style regional improvement program.

[Photo by Goheung-gun]

Goheung-gun (Governor Gong Young-min) announced that from July 18 to 20, it successfully conducted the ‘2024 Summer Fishing Village Volunteer Camp’ in partnership with the Korea Habitat University Club Federation (CCYP, Campus Chapters & Youth Program).

Thirty-four students from 11 universities nationwide (Gachon University, Kangnam University, Gyeongsang National University, Korea University, Duksung Women’s University, Seoul National University, Seoul Women’s University, Ewha Womans University, Chung-Ang University, Hanyang University, and Hyupsung University) stayed in Ochwi Village, Podu-myeon, Goheung-gun, engaging in various activities such as vacant house regeneration and village content creation.

The fishing village volunteer camp, which practices solidarity between generations and regions through specific activities needed in fishing village sites and works together to transform the village, is currently in its third year in the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ Fishing Village New Vitality Promotion Project area (Chwido-Geumsahang zone), aimed at overcoming population decline and regional decline issues.

In particular, this camp attracted attention by adopting the DIT (Do It, Together) approach, where residents, experts, private organizations, and youth collaborated to renovate vacant houses that had been abandoned for over 20 years, creating a ‘Sea View Fishery Homestay.’

The fishery homestay, built through the hard work of young people, is expected to be used as accommodation and stay spaces for tourism and experiential programs based on Goheung’s beautiful marine scenic resources in the future.

It is also planned to be modeled and operated as an alternative use case for the increasingly severe problem of abandoned vacant houses in rural fishing villages, serving as a space to attract youth and those interested in living in the region.

Alongside vacant house regeneration, activities to improve the village environment continued.

A mural featuring content symbolizing the village and Goheung was painted on the door of an old warehouse where village elders rest, making it visible to residents passing by.

This design was developed by utilizing and enhancing oyster and scallop characters created during previous fishing village volunteer camps.

Additionally, together with the village women’s association, they made pasta and pancakes using clams directly harvested from the mudflats, a fishery resource of Ochwi Village, and shared them with residents, fostering intergenerational communication.

This process was filmed to produce SNS promotional village content.

Furthermore, promotional materials for the village, such as emoticons based on residents’ distinctive dialect and voice (Goheung dialect) and postcards featuring handwritten calligraphy, are planned to be produced in the future.

Park Jong-pal, head of Podu-myeon, said, “I am very grateful that many university students came to Goheung, which has pristine waters, and carried out activities. I hope the village will continue to attract young people based on the results left behind, such as the fishery homestay.”

Shin Young-won, general chairman of Korea Habitat CCYP, said, “It was a great honor to leave a space called the fishery homestay in the beautiful Ochwi Village, and as a student, it was a meaningful experience.”

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