940,000 Square Meters of Cheonsuman in Seobu-myeon Released
Long-standing Wishes of Local Fishermen Fulfilled
Momentum Gained for Marine Tourism Industry Development
Cheonsuman Coast in the Seobu-myeon Area of Hongseong County, Where Some Protected Water Resources Areas Have Been Partially Deregulated
The long-standing wishes of local fishermen in Seobu-myeon, Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do are expected to be fulfilled, and the development of the marine tourism industry is likely to gain momentum, as part of the Cheonsuman Fishery Resource Protection Zone has been lifted.
On the 10th, Hongseong County announced that 940,000 square meters of the Cheonsuman Fishery Resource Protection Zone in Seobu-myeon, often referred to as the "Green Belt of the Sea," have been officially lifted as of the 10th, following the completion of administrative procedures to amend the county management plan.
This marks the first case among local governments nationwide where a fishery resource protection zone has been lifted for purposes other than land reclamation, after the necessity and validity of coastal development plans in Hongseong County were recognized.
Since Cheonsuman in Seobu-myeon was designated as a fishery resource protection zone in November 1978, all development activities have been restricted under the Fishery Resources Management Act. This has caused significant inconvenience to coastal residents and imposed limitations on the county's marine tourism development projects.
In particular, with the recent operation of ferries, Jukdo?the only inhabited island in Hongseong County, visited by about 40,000 people annually?has faced many restrictions on facility installation and accommodation operations. The western coastal area, where new tourism infrastructure such as Namdang Port Marine Fountain Park and Hongseong Sky Tower is being developed to meet growing tourism demand, has also experienced significant inconvenience in expanding various tourism facilities.
The county expects that the shortened project timelines and budget savings resulting from the lifting of the protection zone will enable faster progress in ongoing coastal tourism development projects, allowing for a proactive response to the upcoming era of coastal development.
Additionally, Hongseong County plans to actively expand marine tourism infrastructure, such as the creation of the Western Coastal Rainbow Tourism Road, the development of a night tourism attraction connecting Namdang Port and Eosa Port, and the construction of a seaside observatory utilizing the Cheonsuman coast. These efforts are intended to attract many tourists from across the country during the "Year of Visit to Chungnam" and the "Year of Visit to Hongseong," thereby revitalizing the local economy.
Furthermore, having secured a project budget of 2 billion won over the next two years by being selected for the Clean Fishing Ground Regeneration Project, the county plans to use this opportunity to transform Cheonsuman into a clean marine area by carrying out marine debris collection and disposal projects, as well as capacity-building initiatives for residents to preserve the marine environment.
A county official stated, "We were able to achieve the lifting of the Cheonsuman Fishery Resource Protection Zone today thanks to our active efforts, such as forming a consultative body with four cities and counties in the Cheonsuman area and explaining the validity of the lifting to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Chungcheongnam-do. Moving forward, we will continue to promote the lifting of fishery resource protection zones in Cheonsuman, including Hongseong Lake, as needed."
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