Jeongeup-si Selects Two Villages as 'Eutteumchon' in Rural Experience and Recreation Village Evaluation

[Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil] Jeongeup City in Jeonbuk announced on the 15th that Kkotdure Happiness Village in Soseong-myeon and Taesan Seonbi Village in Chilbo-myeon were selected as ‘Eutteumchon’ (Top Village) for their excellent performance in the 2022 Rural Experience and Recreation Village evaluation hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

A rural experience and recreation village refers to a place where the village council utilizes the village’s natural environment and traditional culture resources to provide urban residents with lifestyle experience and recreation space programs, while selling local agricultural products or offering accommodation and food services.

Kkotdure Happiness Village is an optimal location for seminars, workshops, and professional education, and at the Kkotdure Happiness Village Center, various programs such as food experiences, eco-friendly farming experiences, and Gujeolcho (Korean chrysanthemum) experiences are operated with active participation from residents in the area.

In particular, the local traditional food and natural environment harmonize to provide a source of vitality in life that cannot be felt in the city.

Taesan Seonbi Village, centered around Museong Seowon, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, retains many Seonbi (scholar) cultural heritages. Visitors can experience Seonbi culture by learning traditional and daily etiquette, participate in a historic traditional tea ceremony, and explore Seonbi cultural history by completing missions throughout the village.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs operates an evaluation and grading system for rural experience and recreation villages to enhance user satisfaction and improve the level of related facilities and services.

The evaluation is conducted nationwide on 288 rural experience and recreation villages, divided into three categories: experience, food, and accommodation.

There are three grades: 1, 2, and 3. Villages that receive grade 1 in all three categories are selected as ‘Grade 1 Eutteumchon’ (Top Village).

The evaluation is jointly conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Rural Community Corporation, with an on-site inspection team composed of experts in each field visiting the villages directly.

As a result of the evaluation, only 23 villages out of 288 were selected as Grade 1 Eutteumchon.

The city has acquired a total of three Eutteumchon titles, including Hwangtohyeon Nokdurang Sirurang Village in Deokcheon-myeon, which was selected as an Eutteumchon last year, marking the largest number in Jeollabuk-do.

Villages selected as ‘Eutteumchon’ receive a plaque and can benefit from policy support such as promotion through various media, product development linked to rural tourism resources, and activity expenses for managers.

A city official said, “We expect rural experience and recreation villages to provide special rural experience healing services to citizens exhausted by COVID-19,” adding, “We will strive to maintain rural communities and create income beyond agriculture through rural experience and recreation villages.”

Meanwhile, among about 1,170 experience villages nationwide, 44 have currently been selected as Eutteumchon. Detailed information about each Eutteumchon can be found on the rural tourism portal ‘All About Rural Travel, Welchon.’

Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil baekok@asiae.co.kr

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