Mokpo City Receives Many Supportive Opinions on Sewol Ferry Hull Docking at Gohado

74.1% Support in Online and Offline Citizen Surveys Including Citizens, Civic Groups, and Students

Preference for Facility Development in Order of Safety and Education Spaces, Followed by Memory and Memorial Spaces

Mokpo City Gohado Sewol Ferry Hull Storage Site Scheduled Location (Photo by Mokpo City)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Ki-dong] As a result of a citizen survey conducted by Mokpo City regarding the placement of the Sewol ferry hull on Gohado Island, 74% of respondents expressed support.

On the 28th, Mokpo City announced that the survey was conducted to gather public opinion after Gohado Island’s new port rear site (near the National Honam Biological Resources Center) in Mokpo was mentioned as a strong candidate location for the government’s discussion on the Sewol ferry hull placement site.

The survey was conducted online and offline over eight days from the 15th to the 22nd. A total of 13,092 people (5.8% of the city’s population), including citizens, social organizations, related institutions, students, and the general public, participated in the survey, with results showing 74% in favor and 26% opposed.

The reasons for supporting the placement of the Sewol ferry hull on Gohado Island were surveyed in order of creating life, safety, and educational spaces; utilizing new tourism resources; and proximity to the hull salvage area.

Additionally, the key areas to be emphasized when developing Gohado Island were identified as expanding safety education and experience infrastructure, creating memorial and remembrance spaces, and linked development with Gohado Island.

A Mokpo City official stated, “Through this survey, we have learned of the citizens’ positive opinions regarding the placement of the Sewol ferry hull on Gohado Island. We will convey the survey results to the government and recommend that citizens’ opinions be reflected in facility development if Gohado Island is confirmed as the site.”

Meanwhile, the government plans to invest more than 150 billion KRW in the Sewol ferry hull placement site to establish national safety education and experience facilities, exhibition spaces, and to develop the surrounding area into a park that harmonizes well with the environment.

The original hull will be restored and displayed floating on the water, with parts of the hull designed for direct visitor experience, creating a facility that can provide lessons on safety to visitors.

Mokpo City expects that since the installation and operation of the facilities will be directly managed by the state, imposing no financial burden on the city, and with the majority of citizens expressing positive opinions, the safety experience facilities and park on Gohado Island will be developed into new tourism resources.

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