Minister Yoon In-chon, Immersed in the 'Taste and Style' of Damyang

Visit to Three Major Luxury Forests Selected as 'Local 100'
Gathering Opinions at Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development Site

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, Damyang County Governor Lee Byung-no, actor Jung Bo-seok, and other officials are walking barefoot and chatting on the Metasequoia Road in Damyang on the 17th.
[Photo by Damyang County]

Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Culture), visited Damyang on the 17th along with actor Jeong Bo-seok, a Jeonnam tourism ambassador, and others. They toured various parts of Damyang together with Lee Byung-no, Mayor of Damyang County, and Jeong Cheol-won, Chairman of the Damyang County Council.

This visit was arranged to visit Damyang’s “Three Great Premium Forests,” selected as part of the Ministry of Culture’s “Local 100” initiative aimed at discovering local cultural attractions and widely promoting regional cultural values, as well as to inspect the site of the Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development Project.

Previously, the Ministry of Culture had selected Metasequoia Road, Gwanbangjerim, and Juknokwon as part of the “Local 100.” On this day, Minister Yoo enjoyed the autumn atmosphere while strolling through Damyang’s premium forests.

Afterwards, Minister Yoo toured the site of the Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development Project, including the “Cultural Integration Night Tourism Space Creation Project” to be established in the Three Great Premium Forests, and encouraged the officials involved. The “Cultural Integration Night Tourism Space Project” is a project to create nighttime scenery reflecting Damyang’s unique characteristics and traditions.

Minister Yoo also visited Hakbong Jongga, the site of the “Namdo Traditional House Moonlight Stay” project, part of the Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development Promotion Project. Hakbong Jongga is the ancestral home of Ko In-hu, who was active as a militia leader during the Imjin War, and continues the history of the ancestral house by offering scholar culture experiences and stay programs. He then visited the house of Master Gi Sun-do, Korea’s Food Master No. 35 (Traditional Fermented Soybean Paste), located nearby at the site of the “Famous House and Master Linked Namdo Hansang Commercialization” project, where he experienced making doenjang (fermented soybean paste), gochujang (red chili paste), and a Namdo table setting demonstration program.

The Ministry of Culture, Jeonnam Province, and Damyang County plan to pilot travel products featuring Namdo cuisine and gourmet experiences this year, and after gathering feedback from stakeholders, will proceed with full-scale promotion.

Minister Yoo In-chon stated, “Local culture is a precious link that connects the history, culture, and lives of residents in the region. We will promote the value of Honam, the treasure trove of our culture, through ‘Local 100,’ and further develop it through the Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development Project to revitalize the region with the power of culture.”

Mayor Lee Byung-no said, “Minister Yoo In-chon’s visit has become an opportunity to widely promote Damyang’s scenery, spirit, and flavors. We will focus our efforts on advancing the Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development Project to elevate the quality and standards of Damyang tourism to the next level.”