Gijang-gun Selected for 'Ecosystem Conservation Charge Refund Project'... Abandoned Railway Site Transformed into Eco-friendly Ecological Space

4.3 Billion KRW National Funding for Ecosystem Restoration Project on Abandoned Railway Site in Seoksan-ri

Ecological Forest Creation, Diverse Habitats and Ecological Experience Spaces by November Next Year

Busan Gijang-gun (Governor Jeong Jong-bok) announced on the 26th that the "Carbon Absorption Ecosystem Restoration Project" in the Seoksan-ri area of Gijang-eup was finally selected in the '2025 Ecosystem Conservation Charge Refund Project' competition hosted by the Korea Railroad Corporation.

The 'Ecosystem Conservation Charge Refund Project' is a project that returns up to 50% of the ecosystem conservation charges paid by developers, etc., and, after approval procedures by the Ministry of Environment, carries out the conservation and restoration of damaged ecosystems.

In May, the Korea Railroad Corporation invited applications from local governments nationwide for project sites within state-owned railroad idle land, and Gijang-gun applied for the Seoksan-ri area in Gijang-eup as the target site and achieved selection.

The target site, Seoksan-ri, had been a space with diminished function and utilization value due to railroad line closures. With the selection of this project, 430 million KRW of national funds will be invested by November 2025 to restore the ecological environment and establish an ecological forest that induces the influx of various small organisms.

In particular, by creating diverse habitats and ecological experience spaces, it is expected to be utilized as a tourism resource linked with the National Busan Science Museum and Osiria Tourism Complex, which serve as eco-friendly ecological rest areas for local residents.

Governor Jeong Jong-bok said, “This is a twofold project that provides an environmentally friendly resting space for residents while functioning as an urban carbon sink through ecological environment restoration,” and added, “We will actively support the project to be carried out quickly and smoothly.”