Busan Gijang-gun and Ulsan Ulju-gun Sign Forestry Cooperation Agreement... Creating a 'Forest-Connection Happy City'

Activation of K-Forest Recreation and Leisure Activities

Gijang County (Governor Jeong Jong-bok) announced on the 20th that on the 19th, it signed a forestry sector business agreement with Ulju County, Ulsan City (Governor Lee Soon-geol) at the Gijang County Office to create a ‘Forest-Connection Happy City.’

This business agreement was promoted to lay the foundation for a forest recreation hub city and to actively advance the creation of a ‘Forest-Connection Happy City’ based on close cooperation in the forestry sector between neighboring cities.

The ‘Forest-Connection Happy City’ refers to a city that connects mountains, villages, and seas as small points, linear, and spatial features into distinctive and eco-friendly forests and gardens.

The signing ceremony was held with the attendance of Jeong Jong-bok, Governor of Gijang County, Lee Soon-geol, Governor of Ulju County, and other officials from both institutions. The two institutions agreed to actively cooperate with each other for innovative development in all forestry-related fields.

This forestry sector business agreement includes active and organic joint cooperation between the two institutions in various areas such as ▲expansion of forest recreation, education, healing, and leisure services ▲cooperation in forest disaster prevention and response ▲promotion of park and garden culture ▲creation of forest-connection trails ▲promotion of forest culture and experiential events.

According to this business agreement, the county plans to exchange specific knowledge and experience in forest recreation and tourism resource development, various programs and forest trail connection projects, and the establishment of a forest disaster (wildfire, landslide, pests) response system, and to steadily plan and implement these.

Additionally, the two regions plan to continuously cooperate with the goal of balanced development of nature, people, and the local economy by discovering forest recreation service projects that can benefit residents of both areas.

In particular, the two institutions expect that this agreement will contribute to expanding green welfare and the development of the local economy by creating an environment where local residents and citizens can safely enjoy forest recreation and leisure within the city.

Jeong Jong-bok, Governor of Gijang County, emphasized, “Gijang County and Ulju County are strengthening coexistence and cooperation between regions as partners rather than competitors through cooperation in various fields, and we expect Gijang County to grow into a new forest recreation and garden culture city.”

He added, “This cooperation with Ulju County is expected to be an important milestone in green administrative cooperation that expands the green living area for 400,000 residents of the two regions, where people and nature coexist, going beyond simple forest recreation and cultural tourism. This agreement will be an important first step in continuously driving the development of an attractive ‘Forest-Connection Happy City’ that changes daily life in Gijang.”