Wando County Governor Shin Woo-cheol Meets Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun to Urge Early Start of Bridge and Land Connection Projects

Active Administration on the Ground to Seek Solutions for Yearly and Land Connection Projects

(Left) Shin Woo-cheol, Wando County Governor, is meeting with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun to seek solutions for local pending projects. (Photo by Wando County)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil] Shin Woo-cheol, Wando County Governor of Jeollanam-do, is actively working on the ground to find solutions for island road and bridge projects aimed at improving transportation access in island areas.

According to Wando County on the 26th, from the 24th for two days, Governor Shin met with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon, Office for Government Policy Coordination Chief Koo Yoon-chul, and Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Kang Ki-jung to propose early commencement of the island road and bridge projects, the region’s top priority.

In particular, he requested special attention and support to ensure the early start of the second phase of the project, the “Gudo?Soan Island Road and Bridge Project,” to realize the practical effects following the completion of the first phase, the “Nohwa?Gudo Island Road Project,” in 2017.

The first phase was completed as part of the 3rd Comprehensive Island Development Project, and the second phase was also planned to continue as an island development project. However, due to budget cuts in the 4th Comprehensive Island Development Plan (2018?2027), the project has faced difficulties.

Governor Shin actively expressed concerns that failure to start the second phase would result in a “half-finished bridge,” and that the sunk costs of the first phase could become a waste of national funds. He emphasized that the island road project would resolve inconveniences related to drinking water, education, and medical care for residents of Nohwa, Soan, and Bogil-myeon.

He also proposed including the upgrade of Local Road No. 830 from Wando Gogeum to Geojeong in Goheung to a national highway, and the island bridge project between Yaksan Dangmok and Geumil Iljeong, in the 2nd National Road Network Comprehensive Plan to promote them as national balanced development projects.

In fact, the Wando?Goheung section is the only disconnected segment in the Southwest Coast Tourism Belt connecting Jeollanam-do to Busan. He strongly emphasized that this project is essential for regional balanced development by reducing logistics costs for agricultural and marine products, attracting tourists, and alleviating residents’ inconveniences.

On the afternoon of the 24th, he visited the National Assembly and met with Lee Hae-sik, Han Byung-do, Kim Min-seok, and Lee Hyung-seok, members of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety standing committee, and Kim Gyo-heung, a member of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport standing committee, requesting active review of the island road and bridge projects at the parliamentary level.

Additionally, he met with Yoon Jae-gap, his local district representative, Heo Jong-sik, a native of Wando County, and Seo Sam-seok, a member of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, to request national funding support not only for the island road and bridge projects but also for next year’s projects such as the construction of the Marine Healing Center scheduled for completion in October 2021 and support expenses for the 2021 Wando International Seaweed Expo.

At the end of his National Assembly visit, he awarded an honorary citizen certificate to Representative Jung Tae-ho, who was selected as an honorary citizen of Wando County in 2020. Representative Jung said, “As an honorary citizen, I will take responsibility and support efforts to resolve the island road and bridge projects.”

Governor Shin Woo-cheol said, “Through close communication with central government departments and political circles, we will do our best to have the island road and bridge projects, the county’s biggest pending issues, reflected in national plans and to secure government budget for next year.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.