Jeonnam Province Sees Successive Preliminary Feasibility Approvals for Maritime, SOC, and Closed Mine Area Development Projects

National Maritime and Fisheries Museum to Be Built in Wando
Four-Lane Expansion of National Road No. 15 from Goheung to Bongrae
Economic Promotion Project for Hwasun Closed Mine Area Gains Momentum

Hwasun Closed Mine Economic Promotion Development Project Plan. Provided by Jeonnam Province

On August 20, Jeonnam Province announced that the National Maritime and Fisheries Museum construction project at the Wando Cheonghaejin Historic Site, the four-lane expansion project of National Road No. 15, and the Hwasun Closed Mine Economic Promotion Development Project had all passed the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee.

The plan to build the 'National Maritime and Fisheries Museum' was initiated by Jeonnam Province in 2019, recognizing the absence of a specialized fisheries museum in Korea. The province began a basic planning study in 2019 and selected Wando as the site in 2022.

After passing the preliminary feasibility assessment by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2023, and being selected as a target for the Ministry of Economy and Finance's preliminary feasibility study in 2024, the project team effectively responded to presentations and Q&A sessions regarding policy impact and balanced regional development on August 8, achieving this milestone after seven years of effort.

The museum is scheduled to open in the second half of 2030, with a total investment of 113.8 billion KRW in national funds. It will be built on a 46,886㎡ site with a total floor area of 14,414㎡.

Unlike the National Maritime Museums in Incheon and Busan, this museum will showcase fisheries resources, maritime cultural industries, history, and the future of all Korean waters. Artifacts excavated throughout Jeonnam Province, including relics from the Wando Yaksan Wando Shipwreck and the Cheonghaejin Historic Site, will be relocated and displayed here.

National Road No. 15, which connects Goheung-eup to the Naro Space Center, will be expanded from two lanes to four lanes along a total length of 31.7 km. The project budget has increased by 137.9 billion KRW from the original 514.2 billion KRW to a total of 652.1 billion KRW.

After being selected as a fast-track preliminary feasibility project by the Ministry of Economy and Finance in January, the review period was shortened from nine months to six months. Following an on-site inspection in March, the project received final approval on this day.

Jeonnam Province and Goheung County have strengthened the project's feasibility and expanded aerospace industry infrastructure based on achievements such as: designation of the Goheung Bongrae Space Industry Cluster Specialized Zone in 2022; exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for the private launch site and launch vehicle technology industry center in 2023; and exemption for the Goheung Space Launch Vehicle National Industrial Complex in 2024.

Although this project has been a long-standing wish of local residents since 2009, it was dropped from the fifth National and Local Road Construction Plan (2021-2025) preliminary feasibility study. It was upgraded to a national road in 2021, and since the opening of the Naro Space Center in 2009, the increase in tourists and logistics has made expansion essential.

Once completed, travel time from Goheung-eup to the Naro Space Center will be reduced from 60 minutes to 20 minutes, bringing significant changes in the economy, healthcare, culture, education, and tourism. In particular, improved accessibility to the National Industrial Complex for space launch vehicles is expected to greatly enhance conditions for private companies.

The Hwasun Closed Mine Economic Promotion Development Project was selected as a preliminary feasibility study target in 2023. Under the supervision of the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the project underwent a feasibility study through August this year and was approved based on its economic viability, necessity, and regional balanced development impact.

The Hwasun closed mine area once drove the local economy based on the mining industry. However, with the early closure of the mine in 2023, the industrial base has gradually diminished, leading to population outflow and deepening regional stagnation. Therefore, discovering alternative industries and improving living conditions have become urgent priorities.

The Economic Promotion Development Project aims to overcome the regional crisis, with 70 billion KRW in national funding out of a total 357.9 billion KRW to be invested by 2031. The project includes the creation of a smart farm complex and agro-industrial complexes for medical and food industries. Jeonnam Province and Hwasun County plan to expedite the subsequent administrative procedures and aim to begin construction in 2028.

Upon completion, the project is expected to create new jobs, attract tourists, revitalize the local economy, improve living conditions, and establish a foundation for sustainable growth.

Jeonnam Province and Hwasun County also plan to actively pursue the establishment of the National Coal Mine Museum to preserve the historical and cultural value of the Hwasun coal mine, as well as the creation of a comprehensive tourism complex.

Governor Kim Yung-rok emphasized, "This will be a hopeful starting point for the Hwasun closed mine area to be reborn as a center for regional regeneration and future growth. Jeonnam Province will take the lead in making the Hwasun closed mine area, which is closing the 118-year era of coal and opening a new era for the bio-food industry, a successful model for regional regeneration in Korea."