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Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, has opened the possibility of operating eco-friendly educational vessels and establishing a park golf course with natural grass within the special countermeasure area following the revision of the “Paldang Daecheongho Watershed Water Quality Conservation Special Countermeasure Area Designation and Special Comprehensive Countermeasure (hereinafter ‘Special Countermeasure Notice’).”

Jeon Jin-seon, Yangpyeong County Governor, is holding a special countermeasure meeting for the preservation of water quality in Paldang and Daecheongho water sources. Provided by Yangpyeong County

On the 24th, the Ministry of Environment announced the partial revision of the “Special Countermeasure Notice,” allowing the operation of educational ecological learning vessels and conditional establishment of park golf courses.

The main points of the revised notice include △ permitting the operation of educational vessels for ecological learning purposes directly operated by the heads of local governments overseeing the special countermeasure area △ allowing the establishment of park golf courses if the local government directly installs them, does not use pesticides or fertilizers, and establishes an eco-friendly grass maintenance plan.

This achievement marks the first revision in 25 years since the Ministry of Environment’s notice on October 10, 2000, regarding the designation of the Paldang Daecheongho Watershed Water Quality Conservation Special Countermeasure Area and its comprehensive special countermeasures. Moving forward, Yangpyeong-gun faces a major turning point to soar as an environmental education city.

Since the launch of the 8th local government administration, Yangpyeong-gun has continuously strived to break down regulations. Governor Jeon Jin-seon visited Daehaseom Island in Unsim-ri, Gangha-myeon, by boat together with the Vice Minister of Environment in 2023. Daehaseom Island, which has been restricted from human access for many years, remains well-preserved in its natural state. Along with Daehaseom, the surrounding 470,000㎡ area near Geobukseom Island (Daesim-ri, Yangseo-myeon) was proposed to be opened to residents upstream and downstream of the Han River to be used as a national environmental education site. Support from the Ministry of Environment and Yangpyeong-gun’s commitment to the value of its natural environment and the creation of an ecological learning center were expressed.

In May of last year, as a result of active cooperation with the Han River Basin Environmental Office, the “Supullo Obin-ri” waterfront green park was created as a joint waterfront green space project, providing residents with an ecological cultural space. Supullo Obin-ri is a project jointly developed with the Han River Basin Environmental Office, utilizing purchased land in the Han River basin and linking it with the adjacent Mulngaegongwon Park and Yangpyeong Eoullim Center to create a resident-friendly ecological cultural service space.

Additionally, in November last year, restrictions on activities were eased in two public sewage treatment areas (Yangseo and Guksu) within the environmental maintenance zone of the Paldang watershed protection area. This was based on six months of water quality measurements of discharge from the two public sewage treatment facilities, all of which met standards, leading to the relaxation of restrictions. Consequently, in the watershed protection area where restaurant establishment was generally prohibited, the floor area limit for changing use to general or rest restaurants for original residents increased from 5% to 10% of the total number of households, doubling the allowance and helping residents who suffered from overlapping regulations.

Furthermore, in January this year, Governor Jeon Jin-seon personally visited the Han River Basin Environmental Office and held a meeting with the head of the office to discuss cooperation measures for resolving major issues in Yangpyeong-gun. He proposed active support to expand sewage coverage through approval of the 2024 Sewerage Maintenance Basic Plan and to preserve water quality in the watershed. Various issues for Yangpyeong-gun’s development, including the relocation site of the Yangseo military facility and housing construction projects, were discussed. He also proposed regulatory improvements to allow park golf course establishment and eco-friendly educational vessel operation, which the Ministry of Environment ultimately accepted, achieving the significant outcome of revising the Special Countermeasure Notice.

County Governor Jeon Jin-seon is delivering a greeting at the completion ceremony of the Yangpyeong Obin-ri Waterside Ecological Belt on May 22 last year. Provided by Yangpyeong County

With the revision of the Special Countermeasure Notice, Yangpyeong-gun can now operate eco-friendly ecological learning vessels, which will also boost the operation of related environmental education programs.

Yangpyeong-gun aims to provide environmental education opportunities to local residents and establish a foundation as an environmental education city by operating eco-friendly ecological learning vessels for ecological and environmental resource and water quality education around the Namhan River.

Operated directly by Yangpyeong-gun, the vessels will run between Daesim-ri, Yangseo-myeon, and Ipobo, Saengjapo-ri, Gaegun-myeon. The vessels will be used for environmental education programs run by the Yangpyeong Environmental Education Center, environmental education courses within schools under the Yangpyeong Office of Education, environmental organizations, related institutions, and local residents. The project is currently undergoing feasibility studies.

Additionally, with access enabled to Daehaseom Island and others via the eco-friendly ecological learning vessels, Yangpyeong-gun is planning to link the ecological learning vessels with the national ecological exploration trail creation project.

Since the construction of Paldang Dam, Daehaseom Island, Geobukseom Island, Tteodeureong Island in Yanggeun-ri, and Yanggang Island have remained well-preserved in their natural state due to restricted human access for over 50 years. A trail connecting these islands, along with Daesim-ri Supullo and Galsan Willow Forest Trail, is planned to allow people to experience and explore the nature and culture around the Han River. Through this, Yangpyeong-gun expects to solidify its position as South Korea’s premier environmental education city and showcase the attractive aspects of Yangpyeong as an eco-friendly city where people, nature, forests, and urban life harmoniously coexist in a pristine natural environment nationwide.

Eco-friendly Hangang River cruise ship rendering. Provided by Yangpyeong-gun

Moreover, the possibility of establishing a park golf course has accelerated the development of the Gangha Park Golf Course. Yangpyeong-gun plans to build a park golf course in the scenic park area of Unsim District, Gangha-myeon, to meet nationwide demand for park golf and contribute to regional economic revitalization by attracting visitors.

They are promoting the construction of an 18-hole natural grass park golf course around Hanggeumcheon Stream in Unsim-ri, Gangha-myeon. The revision of the Special Countermeasure Notice has eased restrictions and provided momentum for the project. Along with the Yangpyeong Park Golf Course located in Gangsaeng Sports Park, Gangsaeng-myeon, a nationally renowned site visited by about 60,000 people annually, the Gangha Park Golf Course will also boast the best natural environment where visitors can enjoy exercise while viewing flowing river water. It is expected to become another landmark of Yangpyeong, combining beautiful scenery and health benefits.

Governor Jeon Jin-seon of Yangpyeong-gun said, “We welcome the Ministry of Environment’s revision of the Special Countermeasure Notice together with the 129,000 residents of Yangpyeong-gun. With the spirit of ‘water droplets wearing away stone’ (水適穿石), we have achieved results through continuous communication and consultation with the Ministry of Environment and related agencies to resolve overlapping regulations. Through the eco-friendly ecological learning vessel operation enabled by this revision, we will make Yangpyeong an ‘environmental city,’ and with the establishment of the park golf course, a ‘healthy city.’ We look forward to the attractive transformation of Yangpyeong through ongoing regulatory improvements.”