"A Vibrant City Where Young People Return"
A Bold Gamble for Transformation
On November 18, Gokseong County in South Jeolla Province announced that it is accelerating efforts to attract a boat racing stadium by developing a water leisure tourism complex, aiming to directly address the crisis of population decline.
To overcome regional extinction by creating jobs and attracting young people, Gokseong County is pursuing the establishment of a boat racing stadium based on private investment, with a strategy to secure new engines for growth.
Gokseong County ranks fifth nationwide in the population decline index and is a super-aged region, with 41.4% of its population aged 65 or older. With the continued outflow of young people rapidly diminishing local vitality, the county has emphasized the need to create a structure where the younger generation stays in the area specifically for jobs.
In particular, the county's direction is supported by the central government's recent strengthening of support for regions at risk of extinction and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's launch of the K-Tourism Innovation Team, which highlights regional tourism as a growth model.
The Gokseong Water Leisure Tourism Complex is designed as a stay-type industry, centering on the boat racing stadium and incorporating a water park, resort, and rafting park to integrate tourism, leisure, culture, accommodation, and experiential activities. The goal is to create both direct and indirect jobs. The creation of jobs in the leisure and tourism sectors, favored by younger generations, is expected to be a key driver in preventing the outflow of young people and encouraging their return or relocation to Gokseong.
Just as the Yeongcheon Horse Racing Park in North Gyeongsang Province revitalized the stagnant local economy and served as a catalyst for expanding tourism infrastructure, Gokseong plans to establish a K-Tourism landmark for the Honam region through its water leisure tourism complex, setting an exemplary case for regional tourism revitalization.
The Gokseong boat racing stadium proposes a different direction from existing gambling industry facilities. It is designed as a socially contributive, multi-purpose cultural space, open to residents and tourists even on non-race days. The aim is to create a stay-type tourism cluster that combines not just racing, but also leisure, accommodation, experiential activities, and culture. By linking the water park, resort, and rafting park, the strategy is to simultaneously boost demand for leisure-based jobs and tourism, especially among younger generations.
The focus is on creating a virtuous cycle that attracts tourists, generates revenue from boat races, expands local government finances, and improves residents' quality of life, thereby bringing about long-term, sustainable changes to the entire region.
With the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently launching the K-Tourism Innovation Team and expanding models for regional tourism innovation, the Gokseong boat racing stadium is highly likely to emerge as a representative K-Tourism case for the Honam region. Gokseong County aims to present a public, leisure- and culture-based tourism innovation model, rather than a gambling industry project, through this initiative.
The development of the water leisure tourism complex also aligns with national policy goals of balanced regional development and revitalization of areas at risk of extinction. By integrating the boat racing stadium with a water park, resort, and rafting park, the project is expected to not only stimulate the local economy but also create stable jobs for athletes and related professionals.
Gokseong County is hoping for a prompt decision on the permit for operating boat races. Once approved, the county plans to fully launch its efforts to attract private investment and transform Gokseong into a vibrant community where young people return.
The creation of the water leisure tourism complex is expected to serve as a message of hope to the nation, demonstrating that local regions can find their own breakthroughs and restore population and economic vitality. The county believes this project will serve as a catalyst for ushering in a new era of livable local communities.
As a case in which a local region secures its own growth engine and transforms its future, the county envisions this project as opening a new chapter of resurgence, overcoming the population cliff.
Gokseong County Governor Cho Sangrae stated, "The water leisure tourism complex will go beyond simply constructing facilities to become a socially contributive, multi-purpose space utilizing local resources. It will be a successful model for sustainable regional tourism revitalization, overcoming the crisis of regional extinction and creating high value-added tourism industries."
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