Geoje City Joins Hands with Jisimdo Residents... Win-Win Agreement to Create a Premium Tourist Island

Geoje City, Gyeongnam Province, has signed a win-win agreement with the residents of Jisimdo.
[Image source=Geoje City]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Geoje City in Gyeongnam announced on the 1st that it has resolved conflicts with Jisimdo residents caused by relocation issues.

Geoje City and Jisimdo residents held several mediation meetings over the past six months under the National Rights Commission, and finally signed a mediation agreement to establish a coexistence plan.

Through the mediation, the city permitted residents wishing to live on Jisimdo to use land corresponding to the area recorded in the Ministry of National Defense data before 2006. Additionally, residents who want to continue operating guesthouses are allowed to run guesthouse businesses only within the area recorded in the building register.

Residents who wish to live on Jisimdo but give up guesthouse operations were granted the right to operate commercial facilities of the former Defense Science Research Institute. Residents who want to relocate will be compensated in accordance with the Land Compensation Act.

The City Council and the Ministry of Environment agreed to create an environment where residents can continue living on Jisimdo and to actively cooperate with the city’s project to develop Jisimdo as a tourist attraction. Detailed implementation matters will be documented in a separate agreement in the future.

Taking this mediation agreement as an opportunity, the city plans to develop Jisimdo into an ecological and healing island based on its unique nature and history together with the residents.

They plan to link idle facilities and historical resources centered on the research institute and develop content reflecting island travel trends to establish Jisimdo as a representative tourist destination of Geoje.

Mayor Byeon Gwang-yong said, “Based on mutual communication, trust, and consultation with Jisimdo residents, we will devote efforts to making Jisimdo a premium island known as a ‘peaceful island,’ a ‘healing island for the mind,’ and a ‘remembering island.’”

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