First Monorail at a National Arboretum: 181.5 Billion Won Invested in Wando Arboretum

Project Budget Increased by 34.2 Billion Won, Boosting Wando's Three Major National Projects
Park Jie-won: "Monorail and Treetop Deck Road to Be Introduced"

The Korea Forest Service has finalized the budget for the National Wando Subtropical Arboretum project at 181.5 billion won, an increase of 34.2 billion won from the original amount.

Park Jie-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Haenam, Wando, and Jindo in South Jeolla Province, announced on the 23rd, "The Korea Forest Service has confirmed the total project cost for the National Wando Subtropical Arboretum at 181.5 billion won."

Aerial view of Wando Arboretum.

The National Wando Subtropical Arboretum project was launched after the selection of the Wando site in 2020 and passed the preliminary feasibility study in 2022. The budget was reflected in the 2026 government budget, and the project cost has now been finalized.

With this budget increase, visitor facilities will be significantly expanded compared to the plans at the time of the 2022 preliminary feasibility study. For the first time among national and public arboretums, a monorail and treetop deck road will be introduced. The treetop deck road is a facility that allows visitors to view the forest from above the arboretum.

Park stated, "The National Wando Subtropical Arboretum will be developed as the nation's top-tier arboretum," adding, "We expect it to become a signature tourist attraction on Wando, the island of healing and wellness, with annual visitors increasing to over 300,000."

He continued, "Along with the National Subtropical Arboretum, we will do our utmost to ensure the smooth progress of Wando's three major national projects, including the second phase of the Gwangju-Wando Expressway scheduled to begin construction in 2026 and the National Maritime and Fisheries Museum."

He added, "We will work to ensure the smooth execution of next year's budget and strive to secure additional funding for the early completion of the project," expressing his gratitude to officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Korea Forest Service, South Jeolla Province, and Wando County.