Jeonbuk, West Coast UNESCO Global Geopark Certification 'Smooth Sailing'

Application for certification to the Ministry of Environment in August... Procedures including submission to UNESCO by November to be completed

International recognition expected for the geological resources of Gochang Ungok Wetland and Buan Chaese

[Jeonju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Tae-in] The Jeonbuk West Coast area (Gochang, Buan) Geopark, selected as a domestic candidate site for the UNESCO Global Geopark, has officially entered the certification process by submitting an application to the Ministry of Environment.

Jeonbuk Province announced on the 8th that it submitted the application for the Jeonbuk West Coast UNESCO Global Geopark to the Ministry of Environment on the 31st of last month and plans to proceed with the full certification process.

Since being selected as a domestic candidate site for the Global Geopark in December last year, the West Coast Geopark has focused on meeting the application requirements by conducting academic research, discovering new geological sites, and performing self-assessments of operational status necessary for formal certification application.

The subsequent process will involve reviewing and supplementing the submitted application, followed by final submission to UNESCO by November according to the certification procedure, and then sequentially carrying out follow-up steps such as on-site evaluations starting next year.

The geological sites in the West Coast area applying for Global Geopark certification include a total of 26 locations (including 12 nationally certified sites) such as Gochang Ungok Wetland and Buan Chaeseokgang.

If these sites are certified as UNESCO Global Geoparks, it is expected to have ripple effects such as an increase in visitors due to the international recognition of their value.

In particular, unlike other UNESCO programs, the Global Geopark system does not enforce additional activity restrictions beyond domestic laws (which only prohibit damage to geopark facilities), thus offering the advantage of causing no inconvenience to local residents.

Accordingly, Jeollabuk-do Province, Gochang, and Buan counties plan to do their best to comply with related procedures such as responding to on-site evaluations with the goal of obtaining UNESCO Global Geopark certification in 2022.

To prepare for certification reviews including on-site evaluations starting next year, they will continue to operate foundational improvements such as foreign language interpretation panels, printed materials, and an English website, as well as non-face-to-face exploration programs in preparation for the post-COVID era.

Additionally, they plan to focus on geological park tours linked with non-geological resources such as history and culture according to UNESCO evaluation criteria, and on establishing income-generating foundations for local residents.

Furthermore, they will actively refer to domestic and international cases for sustainable regional development such as revitalizing the local economy, and discover and implement successful UNESCO Global Geopark certification and operation strategies.

Meanwhile, they will also thoroughly prepare for re-certification evaluations conducted every four years after national certification (2017), and strive to maintain the national geopark brand necessary for revitalizing eco-tourism in the Jeonbuk West Coast area.

Kim In-tae, Director of the Environment and Greenery Bureau of Jeonbuk Province, said, “We will do our best to ensure that the pristine natural heritage of our province’s west coast acquires the international brand of UNESCO Global Geopark,” and added, “We ask for the interest and support of the residents.”

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