Incheon City will invest a total of 32.2 billion KRW this year in Ganghwa and Ongjin counties to promote the Special Situation Area Development Project led by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
This project aims to promote sustainable growth of island areas through improving the welfare of residents in special situation areas and regional development. The development project is supported by 80% national funding, with 15 projects in Ganghwa County and 26 projects in Ongjin County.
Major projects include the construction of the Baengnyeongdo Complex Community Center (11.6 billion KRW), Daecheongdo Village Culture Complex Center (2.9 billion KRW), and Deokjeokdo Public Bathhouse (3 billion KRW), all of which are scheduled to open in the second half of this year.
The city also plans to invest 3.9 billion KRW by the end of the year to build a 575-meter coastal deck along the shared waters near Yeonpyeong-ri, Yeonpyeongdo. This waterfront space will allow visitors to enjoy the dramatic rock formations and coastal scenery of Yeonpyeongdo, promoting tourism inflow and revitalizing the island tourism industry.
In the Yeochari area of Hwado-myeon, Ganghwa County, 3.3 billion KRW will be spent to establish an ecology learning center for the black-faced spoonbill. By creating scenic sunset trails nearby, the project is expected to contribute to raising environmental awareness for the protection of benthic organisms inhabiting the mudflats at the southern end of Ganghwa, including the black-faced spoonbill.
Special situation areas refer to islands designated for development under the "Island Development Promotion Act" and border areas under the "Special Act on Support for Border Areas." In Incheon, this includes 32 designated development islands and the border areas of Ganghwa and Ongjin counties.
An Incheon city official stated, "We will strive to secure national funding for the Special Situation Area Development Project to improve the residential environment for residents of Ganghwa and Ongjin counties, which have unique geographical conditions, while also focusing on tourism revitalization, natural environment conservation, and cultural and welfare enhancement."
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