Hwasun County Council Holds Final Report Meeting of "Research Group for Revitalization Measures in Abandoned Mine Areas"

Proposals Include Establishment of Eco-Friendly Smart Farms and Data Centers

The Hwasun County Council's research group, "Research Group for Revitalization Measures in Abandoned Mine Areas" (led by Assemblyman Ryu Younggil), held a final report meeting for its research project at the council's small conference room at 1:30 p.m. on December 8.

The Hwasun County Council held the final report meeting of the "Research Group for Revitalization Measures of Abandoned Mining Areas" at the council on the 8th. Provided by Hwasun County Council

According to the Hwasun County Council on December 9, this final report meeting was organized to share the outcomes of approximately five months of research activities conducted since July and to discuss practical challenges and future visions for the Hwasun area, which has experienced stagnation since the closure of the mines.

The meeting was attended by five council members from the research group, staff from the Abandoned Mine Area Development Office, and others. Various strategies for revitalizing the local economy were presented, including cultural regeneration strategies utilizing industrial heritage, the creation of immersive experience spaces using underground tunnels, the establishment of eco-friendly smart farms and data centers, and plans to connect with a regional tourism belt.

Additionally, the meeting highlighted "preservation and reinterpretation rather than demolition" by examining advanced cases such as Kangwon Land, Samtan Art Mine, and Taebaek Coal Museum. A concrete roadmap was presented to develop sustainable revenue models leveraging local assets.

The research group went beyond simple policy proposals by presenting a circular regional regeneration model based on resident participation, such as fostering resident-led management entities and training cultural interpreters. In particular, the strategy of training retired miners as professional guides to transform the area into a "living museum" through human storytelling received a positive response.

Assemblyman Ryu Younggil stated, "We have taken the first step toward making the heart of Hwasun beat again," adding, "I hope that the abandoned mine areas, which hold the history and lives of our community, will be reborn as future-oriented spaces centered on culture, technology, and people."