Governor Kim Dongon Ushers in a New Era of Cheongyang Tourism with Chilgaptower Opening

Chilgap Lake Tourism Belt in Full Operation
Stay-Type Tourism Expected to Revitalize the Local Economy

Kim Dongon, Governor of Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province, has seen his core strategy for revitalizing the local economy bear fruit as the Chilgaptower, a centerpiece of the Chilgap Lake tourism policy, has officially opened. The “transition to a stay-type tourist destination” policy, which has been continuously promoted during the 8th popularly elected administration, has now materialized into an actual facility, and is expected to create a new flow of consumer spending in the stagnant local economy.

Governor Kim has focused on transforming the Chilgap Lake area into a space where tourists stay and spend, by developing a complex tourist destination combining media content, a skywalk, an observatory, and family experience facilities.

The opening of Chilgaptower stands as a representative achievement of this policy direction, laying the groundwork for Cheongyang County to strengthen its tourism competitiveness and emerge as a leading national tourist destination.

On November 14, Cheongyang County announced that Chilgaptower, located in the Chilgap Lake area of Daechi-myeon, has officially opened and begun full-scale operations.

Chilgaptower is a comprehensive tourism facility with a total floor area of 2,722 square meters and six above-ground floors, featuring spaces for promoting and selling local agricultural specialties, a robot-operated unmanned cafe, an immersive media experience center, a skywalk connection, and photo zones.

In particular, the 102-meter skywalk and the 56-meter observatory are expected to become must-visit attractions that capture the scenery of Chilgap Lake in all four seasons.

Governor Kim is shifting the model from simple “sightseeing” to “stay-based tourism,” with a focus on increasing local consumption.

With the interconnection of Chilgaptower, the observatory, pedestrian bridges, and experience facilities, the movement routes of tourists are naturally expanded, creating a structure where spending spreads to surrounding businesses, restaurants, cafes, and agricultural specialty sales.

With the opening of Chilgaptower, the county will also begin strengthening nighttime stay-type content, including the addition of 15 lakeside camping sites and the creation of water- and starlight-themed nighttime experience facilities by next year.

This is a strategic policy designed to increase tourists’ length of stay, thereby boosting spending on accommodation and food and beverage, which directly leads to revitalization of the local economy.

Governor Kim stated, “Chilgaptower will play a crucial role in creating a structure where tourists stay and spend,” adding, “We will develop the Chilgap Lake area into a leading tourist destination and continuously inject new vitality into the local economy.”

Admission fees are 7,000 won for adults, 5,000 won for teenagers, 3,000 won for children, and 2,000 won for infants, with a 50% discount available to residents of Cheongyang, Buyeo, and Gongju. General visitors can also receive a Cheongyang Love Gift Certificate payback, improving accessibility.

Meanwhile, the creation of the Chilgap Lake tourism belt centered on Chilgaptower has become one of Governor Kim Dongon’s signature economic revitalization policies, and is expected to generate tangible economic effects such as increased tourist numbers, growth in local business sales, and improved sales of agricultural specialties.