Will Hantangang Global Geopark Be Re-Certified?... Five Local Governments Including Gyeonggi-do Make Full Efforts

Hantangang Geopark Center

Gyeonggi Province has decided to join forces with five metropolitan and local governments, including Pocheon City, Yeoncheon County, Gangwon Province, and Cheorwon County, to support the re-certification of the Hantangang UNESCO Global Geopark.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 21st, UNESCO conducted an on-site evaluation for the re-certification of the 'Hantangang Global Geopark' from the 17th to the 21st. The re-certification evaluation started on the 17th and 18th in the Pocheon area of Hantangang, followed by Cheorwon, Gangwon on the 19th, and Yeoncheon area on the 20th and 21st. The on-site evaluation was attended by two UNESCO international evaluators, the chairperson of the Korea Geopark Network, geology professors, and related experts.

Global Geoparks must undergo re-certification every four years through evaluations. This evaluation is the first re-certification assessment since the initial certification as a Global Geopark in 2020.

Previously, when UNESCO certified the Hantangang Geopark, it presented eight recommendations to the five local governments including Gyeonggi Province: ▲the international value of geological heritage ▲establishment of an integrated management organization ▲development of education and tourism programs ▲enhancement of local resident engagement ▲improvement of geopark visibility ▲promotion of educational activities on climate change, among others.

In response, the five local governments have formed the 'Hantangang Global Geopark Council' and have jointly implemented UNESCO's recommendations, including publishing academic papers clarifying the geological value of the geological heritage in international scientific journals through academic research.

In particular, to effectively implement the recommendations, Gyeonggi Province has secured 600 million KRW annually to support geological interpreters and local resident education, develop and operate climate change response programs, and run programs linked to biosphere conservation areas.

As a result, the number of visitors increased by 16.57%, from 2.3 million in 2020, the first year of geopark designation, to 2.681 million in 2022. Especially, the number of participants in experiential events increased tenfold, from 18,000 to 183,000. According to a visitor satisfaction survey, 80.4% responded that they were satisfied.

Gyeonggi Province plans to solidify the regional identity as the 'Hantangang Global Geopark area' through re-certification and promote a super-regional cooperation project between Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province, and Pocheon, Yeoncheon, and Cheorwon to develop a unified tourism industry brand and an international geological-ecological tourist destination.

Additionally, leveraging accessibility to the metropolitan international airport and its location in the border area, they plan to bid to host the 2025 UNESCO Global Geopark Conference with peace as the motif. Furthermore, projects such as attracting a national geopark education cooperation center and creating a Hantangang local garden will be undertaken to establish a stay-type tourism infrastructure.

On the 20th, Yeom Tae-young, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeonggi Province, visited the on-site inspection locations in Pocheon and Yeoncheon areas of Hantangang, met with UNESCO evaluators, and requested UNESCO's support to efficiently foster sustainable tourism and education industries through the Hantangang Global Geopark.

The results of the re-certification evaluation will be finalized at the UNESCO Executive Board meeting held in May next year. If re-certified, the geopark status will be maintained until 2028.

The Hantangang Global Geopark covers 1,165.61㎢ (Pocheon 493.24㎢, Yeoncheon 273.65㎢, Cheorwon 398.72㎢), with Gyeonggi Province accounting for 65.8% of the total area. It boasts 26 geological attractions including Pocheon Art Valley, Bidulginang Waterfall, the geological strata of Jeongok-ri relics in Jeongok-eup, Yeoncheon, and the columnar joints of the Imjin River.

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