Gochang-gun Launches 'All-Out Effort' to Host Tidal Flat World Natural Heritage Conservation Headquarters

Published 22 Aug.2022 10:04(KST)

[Gochang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil] Jeonbuk Gochang-gun is making every effort to attract the Tidal Flat World Natural Heritage Conservation Headquarters.

According to Gochang-gun on the 22nd, County Governor Shim Deokseop plans to visit the National Assembly in the afternoon to meet sequentially with Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs Committee Chairman So Byunghun, and lawmakers Lee Wontak and Yoon Junbyung.

At this meeting, he plans to strongly emphasize that the Tidal Flat World Natural Heritage Conservation Headquarters must be located in Gochang.

Gochang-gun is geographically the midpoint of Korea’s tidal flats, stretching from Chungcheong to Jeonnam, making it an efficient location for managing Korea’s tidal flats.

In particular, to overcome the poor ecological infrastructure in Jeollabuk-do, where there are no national ecological facilities, he plans to explain the necessity of attracting the headquarters from the perspective of balanced regional development.

He will also explain the advantage of having already secured a 550,000-pyeong project site adjacent to the tidal flats, which allows providing all additional land area requested by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries beyond the designated project area for future facility expansion.

The Gochang tidal flats are like a comprehensive gift set where all characteristics of Korea’s tidal flats can be directly seen and experienced. Unlike other regions, it is an optimal place for experience and ecological education, where visitors can walk up to 5 km directly onto the tidal flats.

The project site has prevented the construction of solar power facilities and is being used for ecological restoration. It has symbolic value and storytelling strengths if the conservation headquarters are established, giving it a competitive advantage over other local governments, which will be actively explained.

Earlier, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on August 16 a plan to solicit bids for the establishment of the Tidal Flat World Natural Heritage Conservation Headquarters targeting metropolitan local governments registered as Korea’s tidal flat world natural heritage sites. The application deadline is scheduled for the end of September, marking the start of a full-scale competition among local governments.

Shim Deokseop, Governor of Gochang-gun, said, “Since taking office in the 8th local government, this is the most prioritized project we are actively promoting and preparing for the bid. We are making thorough preparations.” He added, “We will do our best to ensure that Gochang-gun attracts the World Natural Heritage Conservation Headquarters in cooperation with Jeollabuk-do and the political circles.”