"Wando, Pristine Marine Region, as a Model for Balanced National Development"
The Wando County Council announced on the 15th that, during the 331st extraordinary session held on the 14th, it officially congratulated the launch of the 21st presidential administration and formally requested the inclusion of local strategic projects as national policy tasks of the new government.
The council emphasized, "Wando is a region where the last pristine marine resources of South Korea are concentrated," and stated, "It is necessary to establish a step-by-step implementation plan to secure national funding, and related projects must be included as national policy tasks."
Wando County Council officially requested the inclusion of local strategic projects as national policy tasks of the new government. Photo by Wando County Council
The five key tasks proposed by the council are: ▲ Construction of the Wando·Goheung Coastal Tourism Road ▲ Construction of the Seoul·Jeju High-Speed Railway (passing through Wando) ▲ Establishment of a K-Seaweed-based Climate Change Response Platform ▲ Creation of a Smart Convergence K-Marine Healing Hub ▲ Establishment of a Seaweed-Specialized Marine Bioindustry Cluster.
The 'Wando~Goheung Coastal Tourism Road' project aims to connect islands through bridges, improving transportation convenience for island residents and establishing a core link in the southern coastal tourism and logistics corridor. The council explained, "It can become a symbol of east-west connection between Yeongnam and Honam and serve as a representative model for balanced national development." The council also proposed that the 'Seoul·Jeju High-Speed Railway' route should pass through Wando. The core objective is to reduce Jeju's dependence on air travel and establish an eco-friendly public transportation network connecting the Seoul metropolitan area, Honam, and Jeju. The council stated, "The expected economic ripple effect is approximately 43 trillion won, and more than 330,000 jobs are expected to be created."
The 'K-Seaweed-based Climate Change Response Platform' is a structure that responds to carbon neutrality and the marine climate crisis through a blue carbon certification system utilizing seaweed and the development of offshore aquaculture farms. In connection with this, the establishment of a specialized marine climate research institute was also proposed. The 'Smart Convergence K-Marine Healing Hub' is a project that simultaneously aims to promote public health, reduce welfare costs, and advance the marine tourism industry, with Wando being evaluated as the optimal location due to its existing infrastructure.
The 'Seaweed-Specialized Marine Bioindustry Cluster' focuses on building a high-value-added industrial ecosystem based on Wando's seaweed resources, including pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. The council emphasized, "It can be an effective alternative for expanding youth employment and addressing regional depopulation."
The council stated, "Since President Lee Jaemyung has set 'economic recovery' as the top priority, true recovery can only be achieved if the region is revitalized together," and added, "Wando is a site where the government's national policy philosophy can be realized in various fields, including marine, fisheries, bio, tourism, and welfare."
The council further added, "We strongly urge the National Policy Planning Committee to include these strategic tasks so that Wando can serve as a representative case of balanced national development, even amid its busy 60-day activity period."
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