Imsil-gun Selected as Final Winner in Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Urban Regeneration Project Competition

Published 16 Dec.2022 16:44(KST)

[Imsil=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Nosik] Imsil-gun, Jeonbuk announced on the 16th that the urban regeneration project titled ‘Osu, the hometown of Uigyeon (義犬), Let’s Live Well Together’ was selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, securing a total project cost of 21.7 billion KRW, including 15.2 billion KRW in national and provincial subsidies.

The selected Osu District urban regeneration project is a self-sustaining village development initiative to be carried out from next year until 2026, covering 238,000㎡ in Osu-ri, Osu-myeon. The project aims to improve residential conditions, establish a stable commercial district, support regional economic revitalization, and enhance the village community.

Notably, the 2022 urban regeneration project application guidelines introduced a new category for regionally specialized regeneration. Based on the Uigyeon folklore of Osu, the county established a specialized strategy to develop Osu District into a pet-friendly city, focusing on the pet industry, tourism, and education as core hubs.

To secure selection, the county signed an agreement with Jeonbuk Development Corporation and began planning in September last year. Up to September this year, they held five pre-consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Urban Regeneration Support Organization and Jeollabuk-do Provincial Office. They achieved excellent results in the field inspections and presentation evaluations conducted in October and November, leading to final selection.

Additionally, the evaluation highlighted the synergy of the urban regeneration project linked with the pet support center, the cultural and tourist attractions of Osu Uigyeon Tourist Site, Osu Pet Memorial Park, and the pet-specialized agro-industrial complex, emphasizing the potential activation of the pet industry, which contributed to the high evaluation.

The main urban regeneration seed projects include the Pet School, an educational space for fostering the pet industry; Pet House, a village workshop for making pet accessories; a pet-specialized street where pets can freely accompany their owners; the Neighborhood Happiness Project to renovate old residential areas and alleys; and the Sangsaeng Eum Center, a living SOC space for residents’ convenience.

Alongside this, Jeonbuk Development Corporation is also scheduled to construct public rental housing as the overall project manager.

Moreover, other linked projects worth 66.4 billion KRW from different ministries are underway within the project district, including the Osu Comprehensive Flood Damage Living Zone Maintenance Project, Osu City Signboard Improvement Project, and Osu Elementary School Underground Passage Project.

The county plans to develop Osu District into a pet-friendly city, promoting it as a tourist attraction in connection with nearby tourist sites and the Osu Uigyeon Festival. It aims to establish itself as a mecca for pet industry education, attracting visitors from outside and contributing to the local economy by drawing them into the Osu city area.

County Governor Shim Min said, “The Osu District urban regeneration project received favorable evaluations as a specialized project proposing a creative development direction utilizing local resources during the application process. We will strive to ensure smooth project implementation so that Osu-myeon can become a key hub leading pet-related regional tourism and industrial development.”