Gangwon Province Marks 30 Years Since the Start of the 'Abandoned Mine Area Act' with 3·3 Residents' Movement Commemoration Ceremony

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) and Jeongseon County announced on September 17 that they will hold the '30th Anniversary 3·3 Residents' Movement Commemoration Ceremony' at 11 a.m. on September 18 at Kangwon Land in Jeongseon County. The ceremony will be attended by Son Chang-hwan, Director of the Global Headquarters of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Choi Seung-jun, Mayor of Jeongseon County, National Assemblyman Lee Cheol-kyu, as well as provincial and city council members, and local residents.

A panoramic view of Gangwon Provincial Government Building. Provided by Gangwon Provincial Government.

Thirty years ago, Jeongseon suffered from mass unemployment and a serious overall economic crisis due to the government's coal industry rationalization policy, which began in earnest in 1989. Starting with the closure of the state-run Ham-baek Mining Company, dozens of large and small coal mines shut down. In 1995, discussions began on closing Dongwon Coal Mine, then the largest private coal mine in South Korea. In response, residents of Gohan, Sabuk, Nam-myeon, and Sindong in Jeongseon voluntarily mobilized to protect their livelihoods, an event that has since been historically recorded as the '3·3 Residents' Movement.'

The 3·3 Residents' Movement was a struggle led by local residents themselves, and it became a turning point that established the institutional foundation for the development of abandoned mine areas, including the enactment of the Special Act on Support for the Development of Abandoned Mine Areas, the establishment of Kangwon Land, and the creation of the Abandoned Mine Area Development Fund.

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is making multifaceted efforts to actively support the integrated resort project being promoted by Kangwon Land in Jeongseon. As Kangwon Land has become a key hub for revitalizing the local economy and developing abandoned mine areas, the province has been consistently proposing the need for institutional improvements to the central government to ensure a stable foundation for growth.

In particular, the province continues to emphasize the need to address institutional limitations, such as the abolition of the casino sales cap and the relaxation of user entry regulations. Through these efforts, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is strengthening policy support so that Kangwon Land can develop into an integrated resort that encompasses accommodation, tourism, culture, and leisure, beyond simply being a casino facility.

In addition, during the ceremony, the province presented plaques of appreciation to the joint committee representing Gohan, Sabuk, Nam-myeon, and Sindong, and carried out key activities such as discussing local issues with Jeongseon County.

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