In Just Two Years Since Choi Sunghyun’s Appointment,
Achieving S-Grade Management and Four Ministerial Awards
Gangwon Tourism Foundation Revitalizes Abandoned Mine Areas
Generating 5.26 Billion Won in Regional Economic Impact
Gangwon Tourism Foundation (CEO Choi Sunghyun) received a commendation from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 16th for its contributions to the development of the coal industry and abandoned mine areas. With this, the foundation achieved an unprecedented record as a four-time recipient of ministerial-level commendations in just five years since its establishment, following previous awards from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Gangwon Tourism Foundation (CEO Choi Sunghyun) received a commendation from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 16th for its contributions to the development of the coal industry and abandoned mine areas. Photo by Gangwon Tourism Foundation
This award is particularly recognized as a tangible result of the leadership of CEO Choi Sunghyun, who took office in November 2023. Since his inauguration, CEO Choi has designated "stay-type tourism" and "expansion of related populations" as core strategies, focusing on fundamentally improving the tourism infrastructure of the four abandoned mine areas-Taebaek, Samcheok, Yeongwol, and Jeongseon.
As a result of these efforts, the "Untangodo 1330" walking event has attracted 20,449 tourists over five years, while the "Gangwon Leisure Four Challenge" has generated 5.26 billion won in regional economic impact over three years. In addition, the "1st Wish Road Trekking," jointly organized with Kangwon Land last year, drew 3,040 participants and achieved a high satisfaction rate of 95%, marking a series of significant achievements.
The foundation has also demonstrated outstanding capabilities in management. Since CEO Choi’s appointment, the organization has received an S grade in institutional evaluations for four consecutive years and an S grade in CEO evaluations for two consecutive years, objectively proving its top-tier management competence among local public institutions nationwide.
Gangwon Tourism Foundation (CEO Choi Sunghyun) received a commendation from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 16th for its contributions to the development of the coal industry and abandoned mine areas. Photo by Gangwon Tourism Foundation
Choi Sunghyun, CEO of Gangwon Tourism Foundation, stated, "Abandoned mine areas are now transforming from 'places people just pass by' into 'destinations where people want to stay longer.' With the upcoming '2026 Visit Gangwon Year,' we will make every effort to create a tourism ecosystem that promotes mutual growth with small business owners, so that these coal industry transition areas can become key hubs of 'K-Global Tourism Capital Gangwon.'
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