[Column] Hoping Gariwangsan Does Not Remain a 'Bad Precedent'

A new trend is emerging in the much-debated and controversial ecological restoration (reinstatement) of Gariwangsan. This follows the 19th Public Discussion Forum recently held by the government at the Gangwon Provincial Office. President Yoon Suk-yeol proposed a plan to revitalize the regional economy of Gangwon Province by utilizing Gariwangsan’s natural scenery and Olympic legacy.

President Yoon’s message stirred the Gangwon local community. Along with his pledge to support regional economic development, there is now a possibility to continue maintaining the gondola installed on Gariwangsan. If the Korea Forest Service changes its original ecological restoration plan, facilities such as the gondola could remain, allowing Gangwon to link them with the local tourism industry.

The alpine skiing venue was part of the alpine ski resort created around Jungbong-gil, Bukpyeong-myeon, Jeongseon-gun, for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The upper part of Gariwangsan, where the alpine skiing venue is located, is a forest genetic protection zone, where development was originally prohibited. However, the “Gariwangsan Ecological Restoration Promotion Team,” composed of the Korea Forest Service, Ministry of Environment, environmental organizations, and Gangwon Province, approved the development plan on the premise of ecological restoration after the Olympics ended. The government also permitted the development based on the “Pyeongchang Olympic Act (Special Act),” making the construction of the alpine skiing venue possible.

In fact, Gangwon Province and Jeongseon-gun have not restored the alpine skiing venue since the Olympics ended. They intend to maintain the venue under the pretext of revitalizing the local economy. Considering this situation, it is perhaps natural that the president’s recent message was welcomed as great news by the local community. The added justification of forest conservation and utilization also provides sufficient grounds for the region. However, at present, the president’s message only places more emphasis on the possibility of maintaining the gondola; no final decision has been made.

In 2021, the government and Gangwon Province agreed, in principle, to begin restoring Gariwangsan but to operate the gondola temporarily until December 31 of this year. The Korea Forest Service plans to conduct a study to devise ways to maximize forest benefits, including the preservation and effective use of Gariwangsan’s cultural heritage, and will decide whether to maintain the gondola and other facilities. After receiving the study results in July this year, they intend to gather opinions from stakeholders based on multiple proposals and reach a conclusion within the year.

In the process of reaching a final conclusion, the Korea Forest Service, Gangwon Province, and other stakeholders must remember that the development of Gariwangsan was a project promised based on mutual trust. The principles and trust between the central government and local governments must not be betrayed. If principles and trust are compromised to suit local convenience or due to changing circumstances, there is no guarantee that a second or third Gariwangsan will not emerge.

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