Gokseong-gun Receives 'Presidential Award' for Contributions to Balanced Regional Industrial Development

Published 14 Nov.2022 10:18(KST)

Promoting the Discovery of Creative Strategic Industries to Enhance the Quality of Life for Gunmin

Gokseong-gun Receives 'Presidential Award' for Contributions to Balanced Regional Industrial Development

[Gokseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Cha Jong-sun] Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 14th that it has been honored with the Presidential Award in the regional industry promotion category of the 2022 Regional Industry Balanced Development Merit Awards.

The 'Regional Industry Balanced Development Merit Awards,' hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, is an award given annually to individuals and organizations that have contributed to national balanced development. It is divided into three categories (regional industry promotion, industrial complex development, regional balanced development) and awards government commendations and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy citations.

Gokseong-gun was highly recognized for discovering strategic tasks for regional industry promotion, solidifying the foundation for regional development projects, and establishing long-term core strategies to overcome population issues and promote regional development.

In particular, during the promotion of the 'Station 1928 Development Project,' a Jeonnam-type regional growth strategic project, the formation of a council consisting of the county, residents, experts, and related organizations, which regularly communicated and collaborated in a public-private partnership to establish a regional revitalization strategy, received favorable evaluations.

The Station 1928 Development Project, a stay-type hub space, is a project that utilizes a closed school (former Ogok Elementary School) to create a complex space combining education, experience, residence, and community to attract resident and related populations.

It plans to operate various differentiated programs (wood architecture school, forest play education, atopy healing, etc.) in connection with the local youth organization 'Cheongchun Jakdang' and the Gokseong Future Education Foundation.

Also, the Future Education Foundation, an independent public-private-academic educational cooperation institution launched for the first time nationwide by Gokseong-gun, received high marks.

The foundation was evaluated to have established a virtuous cycle structure where youth do not leave the region due to education but return by building a Gokseong-type creative education ecosystem.

In particular, the Future Education Foundation has successfully introduced curriculum-linked programs connected with local resources, such as Gokseong Dream Play School and Gokseong Study Abroad, into Gokseong education.

Gokseong Study Abroad, which started with 13 participants from 2 schools in 2021, increased to 28 participants in 2022, more than doubling.

Gokseong-gun plans to expand Gokseong Study Abroad to all five small schools in the region, viewing it as an alternative to the regional extinction crisis through the influx of school-age population.

Furthermore, reflecting the characteristics of the region divided into three zones, specialized strategies for each zone were promoted. The Gokseong-eup area is planned to be developed as a stay-type complex hub for gathering and staying, the Seokgok area as an ecological tourism hub blending nature and sensibility, and the Ok-gwa area as a future strategic industry hub. Through this, regionally specialized growth strategy projects are being strengthened.

Additionally, achievements such as attracting large-scale private investment projects like the KORAIL Human Resources Development Institute, the KTC Phase 2 High-Voltage Line International Mutual Recognition Evaluation Infrastructure Project, and the Gokseong Namhae CC Development Project were recognized as notable accomplishments securing regional balanced development and future growth engines.

A county official said, "This award is the fruit of efforts achieved through public-private collaboration to proactively respond to the regional extinction crisis and for long-term regional development. We will continue to do our best to attract population and secure future growth engines."