Samcheok City Selected for 'CLEAN National Fishing Port Development Project' with 15 Billion KRW in National Funding

On April 23, Samcheok City in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Mayor Park Sangsoo) announced that Imwon Port, a national fishing port located in Samcheok, has been finally selected as the target site for the 'CLEAN National Fishing Port Development Project' led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, securing 15 billion KRW in national funding. In particular, following the selection of Jangho Port for the Fishing Village New Vitalization Project (19.5 billion KRW in national and provincial funding) in January this year, Samcheok City has once again been chosen for a large-scale national project exceeding 10 billion KRW, raising expectations among fishermen and local residents.

Samcheok City in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has been finally selected as the target site for the 'CLEAN National Fishing Port Development Project' led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, securing 15 billion KRW in national funding. The image is a bird's-eye view of Imwon Port completed after the project. Image provided by Samcheok City Hall.

The CLEAN National Fishing Port Development Project is a future-oriented fishing port model that reflects five core values?Clearance, Location, Environment, All, and New?aimed at completely transforming national fishing ports through clearance, spatial separation, and environmental improvement. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries selects competitive fishing ports nationwide for focused development under this project.

Although Imwon Port is a major fisheries hub in Samcheok, it has faced several problems, including landscape degradation caused by sporadically constructed port facilities, safety vulnerabilities due to mixed use by vehicles and pedestrians, and a severe lack of rest areas as a tourist fishing port.

With this selection, a total of 18.2 billion KRW (including 15 billion KRW in national funding) will be invested in Imwon Port from 2026 to 2029 over four years, with plans to improve the cramped and complex port environment and fishing conditions, as well as to expand pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and rest areas. This is expected to boost the local economy by increasing tourist stay time and promoting consumption.

A Samcheok City official stated, "We will strive for sustainable port development where the environment and people coexist so that Imwon Port can become a national model fishing port," adding, "By creating a fishing village space that satisfies both local residents and tourists, we will also contribute to revitalizing the local economy."