[2020 Andong City Issues 10 Selections] Andong Reborn as a High-Speed Train Tourism Hub City

Selection of Regional Tourism Hub City Presents the Vision of 'World Cultural Heritage City Andong'

Editor's Note[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] The city of Andong, Gyeongbuk, has selected and announced the 'Top 10 Moments When Andong Was More Andong in the Year of the Rat.' In 2020, Andong focused on stabilizing the local economy and laying the groundwork for future growth engines in the face of the global crisis of COVID-19. We look back on Andong's year through the 'Top 10 Moments When Andong Was More Andong.'

Opening of the Double-Track Jungang Line and Leap to a High-Speed Train Tourism Hub City

The double-track Jungang Line between Andong and Seoul Cheongnyangni will open at the end of this year, and the Korean next-generation KTX, the 'EMU 260' train, will operate. Running at a maximum speed of 260 km/h, the travel time between Andong and Cheongnyangni will be shortened to 2 hours and 10 minutes.

As a result, Andong is expected to rapidly emerge as a day-trip tourism zone from the metropolitan area, anticipating explosive growth in tourism demand. Andong plans to develop Andong Station as a transportation hub by expanding the metropolitan transportation network and improving the public transportation system to become the 'transportation center of Gyeongbuk tourism' convenient for both citizens and tourists.

Additionally, efforts will be intensified to promote Andong as a tourism hub city targeting tourists from Seoul and other metropolitan areas.

Selected as a Regional Tourism Hub City, Presenting the Vision of a 'World Cultural Heritage City'

In January, Andong was finally selected in the tourism hub city contest hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This project was proposed to overcome the limitation that 80% of foreign tourists concentrate only in Seoul and other metropolitan areas and to foster additional tourism cities with international competitiveness.

Busan was selected as the international tourism city targeting metropolitan cities, while Andong, along with Gangneung (Gangwon Province), Jeonju (Jeonbuk), and Mokpo (Jeonnam), was selected as regional tourism hub cities among basic local governments.

Once the project plan is finalized by December, a total budget of 100 billion KRW will be invested by 2024. Centered on the Hahoe Village area, the old downtown↔Andong Dam area, and Dosan area, 57 detailed projects across 18 sectors including core projects, strategic projects, and cooperative linkage projects will be put on track.

Andong will be developed into a national representative tourist destination of Korea that secures world-class tourism convenience in all aspects that domestic and foreign tourists can experience from entry to departure, including transportation, accommodation, and content.

Bio-Medical Innovation... Designation as a Hemp Industrialization Regulatory Free Zone

In July, at the 3rd Regulatory Free Zone Committee meeting, the 'Gyeongbuk Industrial Hemp Regulatory Free Zone' was finally designated, opening the door to the first domestic industrialization of medical hemp (cannabis).

With this designation, a total of 340,841㎡ across five areas including Imha-myeon and Pungsan-eup in Andong will receive an investment of 45 billion KRW over two years.

To this end, a dedicated department (Medical Cannabis Free Zone Team) was established, and follow-up measures such as strengthening collaboration systems through workshops with related companies have been implemented. Future plans focus on establishing a demonstration project base, creating a smart farm complex, and building R&D infrastructure.

Center of Reading and Learning, Completion of Andong City Central Library

In November, the Andong City Central Library was completed and opened.

Built to promote the reading culture of Andong citizens in the city of lifelong education, the Andong City Central Library was constructed on a 6,752㎡ city-owned site (426-36 Gyeongbuk-daero) with a total floor area of 3,469㎡, consisting of one basement floor and three above-ground floors.

Inside the library, the basement floor houses a multipurpose room, offices, and a preservation stack; the first floor includes study rooms and children's and infant materials rooms; the second floor has reading rooms, general materials rooms, and a lounge; the third floor features general materials rooms connected to a rooftop flower garden and a beautifully landscaped outdoor garden behind the building.

Andong 'Vaccine Industry Cluster' Attracts Global Attention

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Andong vaccine industry cluster has emerged as a global issue.

In July, AstraZeneca and SK Bioscience signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the domestic and global supply of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate 'AZD1222' and have been producing vaccines in earnest.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare signed a contract for 10 million doses. Additionally, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon visited the Animal Cell Demonstration Support Center and SK Bioscience, promising unlimited trust and continuous support for COVID vaccine development and production.

Greater expectations and interest are anticipated for the synergy that the Andong vaccine industry cluster will create in the future.

Hosting the '16th International Association of Education Cities' World Congress in 2022

Andong City has secured the hosting rights for the '16th International Association of Education Cities World Congress 2022,' known as the world education Olympics. Deputy Mayor Park Sung-soo competed with leading cities worldwide and emphasized the necessity of hosting Andong directly in English without an interpreter, drawing the spotlight.

The International Association of Education Cities, founded in 1994, is the most prestigious and historically significant organization related to education, with 494 cities from 36 countries as members. When the congress is held, about 2,000 visitors are expected to come to Andong.

This is expected to revitalize the local economy overall by activating convention-related industries such as accommodation, food, and tourism.

Andong City & Korea Tourism Organization Promotional Video Goes Viral

The promotional viral video of Andong by the Korea Tourism Organization was released on YouTube and Facebook on October 13. Since then, about 35 million people worldwide have watched it, showing intense interest.

The video, featuring Dalaichi and Ambiguous Dance Company, uses major Andong tourist spots such as Buyongdae in Hahoe Village, Hahoe Mask Dance Transmission Center, Manhyujeong, Byeongsan Seowon, and Wolyeonggyo Bridge as backgrounds.

The fusion gugak group's mysterious gugak singing combined with modern dance moves has gained sensational popularity both domestically and internationally.

'Nation's First' Full Influenza Vaccination for All Citizens

Andong City has proactively responded to protect the health and safety of its citizens in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the beginning, rapid epidemiological investigations, confirmed case management, mass disinfection, operation of residential treatment centers, drive-through screening clinics, mask-wearing campaigns, and installation of quarantine gates were swiftly implemented.

On August 31, Andong Medical Association signed a joint response agreement for infectious disease prevention and management, supplying vaccine doses sufficient for all Andong citizens to 60 medical institutions in the city.

Starting September 22, the city conducted the nation's first full influenza vaccination for all citizens. To increase vaccination rates, it was made completely free from November 30.

Full-Scale Development of Gyeongbuk Bio 2nd General Industrial Complex

The Gyeongbuk Bio 2nd General Industrial Complex is being developed on a 496,000㎡ (approximately 150,000 pyeong) site in Maegok-ri, Pungsan-eup, Andong, aiming for completion in the second half of 2023.

Andong City is actively working on building new infrastructure and managing existing facilities to create a business-friendly environment.

It plans to actively foster the bio and hemp industries, which will become Andong's future food sources, striving to create quality jobs and revitalize the local economy.

'Moonlight Telling Stories of Cultural Heritage' Andong Cultural Heritage Night Tour

The Cultural Heritage Night Tour (Wolyeong Night Tour) was successfully held for four days from August 6 to 9.

This representative summer festival of Andong offers a fantastic night tour utilizing cultural heritage such as the Seokbinggo and folk village around Wolyeonggyo Bridge and the beautiful natural scenery of the Nakdong River. It was also selected as one of the top 100 night tourism destinations by the Korea Tourism Organization.

This year, under the theme 'Moonlight Telling Stories of Cultural Heritage,' it provided nighttime exhibitions, performances, and entertainment.

The program consisted of five parts: ▲Night View (Wolyeonggyo Bridge lighting, light tunnel, lanterns, giant moon) ▲Night Road (walking paths following moonlight, moonlight sculpture stamp tour) ▲Night Painting (digital and cultural heritage photo exhibitions) ▲Night Talk (open radio, moonlight stories, live broadcasts) ▲Night Stay (traditional house lodging programs).

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