Gwangju City Designates Mudeungsan Pyeongchon Village as "Geo-Village"

City and Pyeongchon Village Sign Agreement
to Develop and Operate Ecotourism

On the 23rd, Gwangju City designated Mudeungsan Pyeongchon Village as the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark "Geo-Village" and signed an ecological tourism cooperation agreement. Photo by Gwangju City

On April 23, Gwangju City designated Mudeungsan Pyeongchon Village as the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark "Geo-Village" and signed an ecological tourism cooperation agreement. The signing ceremony was attended by Jeong Hyun-yoon, Director of Climate and Environment at Gwangju City, and Lee Eun-seok, representative of Mudeungsan Pyeongchon Village.

The "Geo-Village" is a village within the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark that offers a new form of geotourism by utilizing the geological, ecological, and cultural characteristics of the area.

Pyeongchon Village, located on the northern slope of Mudeungsan, is a small and tranquil rural community formed by four villages: Dongnim, Useong, Daman, and Dakmoe. Recognized for its outstanding ecological value, it was designated as an ecological tourism site by the Ministry of Environment in 2015, and was selected as the Ecotourism Destination of the Month in September last year. Additionally, it has been designated as an agricultural and fishing village experience and recreation site, as well as a national park village.

Through the Geo-Village designation and cooperation agreement, the city and Pyeongchon Village plan to promote the revitalization of the regional economy and enhance the brand value of the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark.

The city will provide necessary support and carry out promotional activities for the project, while Pyeongchon Village will develop and operate a variety of programs, including ecological tourism. They will also cooperate in the development and management of a geo-brand in connection with the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark.

Jeong Hyun-yoon, Director of Climate and Environment, stated, "Through active cooperation with the residents of Pyeongchon Village, we will nurture it as a distinctive Geo-Village within the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark and make it a global model case."

Meanwhile, the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark is composed of a variety of geological attractions, including 24 geological sites and 43 historical and cultural sites in Gwangju, Damyang, and Hwasun, which surround Mudeungsan.