Wando-gun Achieves Triple Crown in 'Marine Healing Industry Revitalization'

Published 23 Feb.2024 11:01(KST)

Awarded Grand Prize at the 1st Korean Local Autonomy Association Local Administration Innovation Awards

Highly praised for leading South Korea's marine healing industry, including the opening of the nation's first Marine Healing Center

Wando County in Jeollanam-do achieved the great honor of receiving the Grand Prize at the ‘1st Korean Local Autonomy Innovation Awards’ ceremony held on the 22nd at Soongsil University’s Hankyungjik Memorial Hall, hosted by the Korean Local Autonomy Association.

According to the county on the 23rd, Wando County won the K-Wellness Brand Grand Prize (marine healing sector) for two consecutive years at the ‘2023 K-Wellness Food & Tourism Fair’ and also received the Grand Prize in the marine healing sector at the ‘K-Brand Awards.’ With this latest award, it has secured a triple crown in the ‘marine healing’ field.

Wando County Governor Shin Woo-cheol is taking a commemorative photo after receiving the 1st Korea Local Autonomy Association Local Administration Innovation Award.
[Photo by Wando County]

The ‘Korean Local Autonomy Innovation Awards,’ held for the first time this year, were established to recognize local government executive bodies that have achieved outstanding results in the development of local autonomy, aiming to boost institutional morale and contribute to the advancement of local autonomy.

Wando County is focusing on promoting the marine healing industry as a future survival strategy to overcome the crisis of local government extinction caused by low birth rates and population outflow.

Marine healing is a health promotion activity that heals the mind and body by utilizing a clean marine environment and various marine resources, and related projects have been nurtured for the past nine years.

In particular, the county received high praise for leading Korea’s marine healing industry by opening the country’s first marine healing center in November last year, which earned it the Grand Prize.

Currently, Wando County operates various public facilities centered around the Marine Healing Center, including the Marine Climate and Marine Culture Healing Center, Yaksan Coastal Healing Forest, and Cheongsan Marine Healing Park, striving to revitalize the marine healing industry.

County Governor Shin Woo-cheol said, “The journey to the opening of the Marine Healing Center was not easy, but the efforts made so far have been supported and have led to the honor of receiving this award.” He added, “By providing Wando’s unique marine healing services utilizing its comparative advantage resources, our county will establish itself as the center of marine healing and leap forward as a wellness marine tourism city, opening an era of ten million tourists.”