Cheongsong-gun Leaps Forward as a Glocal Ecotourism City... Successful Re-Certification of UNESCO Global Geopark

Maintain Position Until 2024

Cheongsong UNESCO Global Geopark has achieved the great feat of successfully obtaining its first re-certification.

Cheongsong-gun, a glocal ecotourism city, has successfully renewed its UNESCO Global Geopark certification, maintaining its status until 2024.

The UNESCO Global Geopark Council conducted an on-site evaluation of the management and operation status of Cheongsong UNESCO Global Geopark in September last year, and based on this, on May 18, the final board meeting of UNESCO Global Geoparks decided to grant the ‘Green Card,’ which signifies re-certification.

Subsequently, on June 9, the re-certification of Cheongsong UNESCO Global Geopark was officially confirmed through formal documentation.

With this, Cheongsong County will maintain its status as a world-renowned brand city under the UNESCO Global Geopark designation until December 2024, including the on-site evaluation period that was postponed due to COVID-19.

The UNESCO Global Geopark Executive Board highly evaluated that Cheongsong County not only faithfully implemented the recommendations received at the time of its initial certification in 2017 but also managed and operated the geopark in line with UNESCO’s direction and purpose by linking geological heritage with cultural heritage, cooperating with local residents, addressing population decline and climate change, and operating educational tourism programs. Through this, the re-certification was unanimously confirmed.

The on-site evaluation team that visited Cheongsong County in September last year praised, “The active support and efforts of Cheongsong County officials and local residents for the development of the geopark were remarkable,” and added, “The geopark’s operational goals for climate change and sustainable development, as well as cooperation with local residents and schools, are considered excellent cases that geoparks worldwide can benchmark.”

In particular, Tran Tan Van (Vietnam), the chairperson of the on-site evaluation committee, expressed the opinion that Cheongsong should apply for the Best Practice Award, which UNESCO grants to geoparks that operate in accordance with its purpose, and indicated his intention to submit a recommendation letter himself.

Due to the adjustment of the re-certification evaluation period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cheongsong County will undergo its second re-certification evaluation next year.

For the second re-certification, the county plans to make every effort to operate the geopark according to UNESCO Global Geopark evaluation criteria, including expanding geopark visibility, broadening the scope of education and tourism programs, developing infrastructure, and promoting domestic and international exchange activities.

Governor Yoon Kyung-hee pledged, “We will make good use of the international brand UNESCO and work together with local residents to create ‘Glocal Ecotourism City Cheongsong.’”

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