Mokpo City and Mokpo National University Sign Agreement for On-site Campus Operation

Studio and Lecture Rooms Set Up in Original Downtown, Lecture Expansion Starting March Next Year

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seung-hyun Jeong] Mokpo City signed a business agreement with Mokpo National University on the 24th to operate an ‘On-site Campus,’ embarking on a project to revitalize the old downtown area.

According to Mokpo City on the 24th, the ‘Mokpo National University On-site Campus Operation’ is a win-win cooperation project between the two institutions that provides exhibition spaces and studios for university students in idle spaces of the old downtown area to increase foot traffic and support local students’ creative activities.

The On-site Campus will utilize the idle space in the Urban Regeneration Support Center building located in front of Rodeo Square in the old downtown area, converting it into studios and classrooms. Starting from March next year, more than two courses in the Department of Fine Arts will be offered, with plans to gradually expand.

Additionally, a space will be prepared to exhibit students’ works, allowing anyone to freely view them, fostering it as a new tourist resource and providing startup spaces to create conditions for young people to settle in Mokpo.

Furthermore, the plan is to incorporate university students’ fresh ideas into the rapidly progressing Urban Regeneration New Deal project to enhance the project’s completeness.

Mayor Kim Jong-sik stated, “The old downtown area has many idle spaces such as vacant houses and empty stores, so to revitalize the area, the hollowing-out phenomenon must be resolved.” He added, “It is very encouraging that the On-site Campus operation at Mokpo National University will create a space where university students’ futures can mature in the old downtown area. We will continue to seek ways to effectively utilize idle spaces.”

Meanwhile, the city is reorganizing idle spaces in various ways to revitalize the old downtown area. In cooperation with Bohae Brewery Co., Ltd., youth stores were established in the Bohae shopping district in the old downtown area, and last year, the 1st Jeollanam-do Innovation Expo was held by remodeling an empty building in the old downtown area.

Along with this, three public institutions?the Unification Center, Jeonnam Youth Future Foundation, and Ministry of Justice Smile Center?were attracted to the site of the old Mokpo Police Station, and currently, groundwork is underway for new building construction.

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