By Lee Kyung-min
The government plans to transform a number of abandoned mines located in Gangwon Province into tourist attractions as part of their efforts to revive the regional economy and improve the infrastructure for visitors prior to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said Monday that it plans to spend some 13.9 billion won next year setting up theme parks, trekking courses, meditation centers and restaurants near a number of closed mines near Jeongseon, Yeongwol, Taebaek, and Samcheok.
The investment is the second stage of the government’s plan to develop the region into a cultural venue between 2015 and 2019 with a budget of 146.2 billion won. The first stage was completed from 2004 to 2013.
Thirteen new projects will begin, including trekking courses using the mines and tourism information centers in each region. A healing center using charcoal will be set up in Yeongwol, a “slow restaurant” in Taebaek, a market selling local products in Samcheok, a cookie baking venue and a new rail-bike track in Jeongseon.
The ministry is drawing up blueprints for each project with 3.2 billion won, and construction on the projects will begin next year.
During the initial stage between 2004 and 2013, seven projects were completed including building theme parks featuring exhibits about the lives of miners from the early 1960s to the late 1970s.
A carriage-themed park in Yeongwol has been gaining popularity with both foreign tourists and locals, while the number of visitors is growing annually.
As the remote regions have not undergone modernization, the well-preserved nature there will be greatly appreciated by people who are stressed out from life in the nation’s cities, according to a ministry official.
“We hope that Gangwon Province will become one of the major tourist attractions in the country. The clean air, green trees and forest would be perfect for people who are in need of healing and stress relief,” the official said.
“The new attractions will also meet demands from tourists who will visit the province for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. We also hope the new infrastructure and programs will create more jobs, helping the residents get on their feet again,” he said.
The government first came up with the plans in 2003 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration to deal with the rapidly deteriorating regional economy and the steep decrease in population there following the government’s decision in 1989 to shut down many mines as the country’s energy source turned from coal to electricity. A great number of residents struggled financially because they were largely dependent upon mining-related work.