Governor Choi Myungseo Emphasizes "Completing Yeongwol's Future Next Year Through Resident-Centered Policies"

Yeongwol County Holds 2026 Major Work Report Meeting
Comprehensive Review of Transportation, Industry, Tourism, and Residential Conditions
Aiming to Become the Key Hub City in Southern Gangwon
Fostering Future Growth Engines Including Core Minerals Industrial Complex

Yeongwol County in Gangwon Province held the "2026 Major Work Report Meeting" on the 29th in the situation room on the 2nd floor of the county office. This meeting was conducted by grouping departments whose functions and responsibilities are interconnected, in order to enhance collaboration and unity between departments and to quickly identify solutions to problems. Each group autonomously selected and reported on key tasks and current issues to be prioritized in 2026, followed by in-depth discussions.

Yeongwol County held the "2026 Major Work Report Meeting" on the 29th in the situation room on the 2nd floor of the county office. Provided by Yeongwol County

The meeting was attended by Choi Myungseo, the governor of Yeongwol County, Jeon Daebok, the deputy governor, the director of planning and audit, as well as heads of various departments and relevant public officials. They analyzed the achievements of major projects in 2025, discussed the county's vision and goals for 2026, and conducted a comprehensive review of all departmental priorities and ongoing work.

The main focus of the meeting was to thoroughly complete and advance the county's key policies that will lead Yeongwol into its "second golden age" after the closure of mines, building on the consistent preparation and achievements from the 7th to the 8th popularly elected administrations. The emphasis was placed on developing policies that residents can directly feel in their daily lives and significantly expanding content, leading to passionate discussions on 166 policy projects across seven areas.

In particular, the core materials industrial complex to be established in Noksjeon-ri, Sansol-myeon, was designated as an Opportunity Development Zone by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in December 2024, and then as a Leading Investment Zone by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in May of this year, confirming the construction of a core minerals R&D center. The county plans to attract related upstream and downstream industries, build a value chain, foster future industries, and provide quality jobs. It also aims to restructure rural spaces and develop residential and living infrastructure in the eastern region through rural agreements.

In addition, the county plans to actively respond to the second phase of public institution relocations, in line with the new government's policy direction. As the only region in Korea producing core minerals (tungsten), Yeongwol is positioning itself not just as a mining area but as a forward base for both national resource security and balanced regional development, and is preparing for the relocation of related public institutions.

Various policies to revitalize the local economy were also discussed. The county will establish comprehensive measures to invigorate traditional markets and strengthen job platforms to ensure a smooth supply of manpower. New initiatives will also be introduced to support local youth, including assistance for obtaining certifications and the opening of new courses to enhance their capabilities.

With the completion of the Jecheon-Samcheok Expressway and the phased acceleration of the Taebaek-Yeongdong Line expected by 2034, the county plans to conduct detailed strategic analysis through comprehensive planning to transform the southern region of Gangwon into an industrial and logistics hub connecting the metropolitan area and the Pan-East Sea region, which is expected to become more active with the opening of the Northern Sea Route.

Meanwhile, the observation facility and monorail for the Bongraesan Landmark Project are being carefully managed with the goal of starting operations in June 2026. A large-scale renovation of vacant houses around Yeongwol Station and Deokpoli is underway to create new accommodations and significantly improve the county's capacity to receive tourists. These efforts will be linked with rich tourism content to newly transform Yeongwol’s welcoming spaces. The recently opened Cheongnyeongpowon, smart multi-purpose rest areas, and the Yeongwol Tourism Center will be integrated to invigorate downtown tourism and further solidify Yeongwol as the "outdoor garden for 20 million residents of the metropolitan area."

With the construction of the Jecheon-Yeongwol Expressway, the Deokpoli area, set to become Yeongwol's new gateway, will see the completion of relocation sites for the police station and medical center by November this year, with police station construction beginning next year. This marks the start of further development in new urban areas, including the Donggang Yeongwol The Well Town, a local vitality town, and the Deokpo District Urban Development Project.

In addition, the county will reorganize the functions of the existing urban area connecting Yeongwol Medical Center, the terminal, the central commercial district, the traditional market, and the police station. The county will also sequentially respond to urban regeneration projects for aging residential areas in Yeongheung-ri and Hasong-ri, as well as the central city area. Traffic systems in areas with severe congestion will be gradually improved, ensuring harmonious development throughout Yeongwol-eup and continued expansion of residential infrastructure.

The rural study abroad program, launched to prevent school closures, has attracted 237 students and their families, making Yeongwol the leading destination for rural study in Gangwon Province. The pilot project for the Educational Development Special Zone, selected in July 2024, will be thoroughly analyzed for effectiveness to ensure Yeongwol is promoted to a leading area by 2026.

Choi Myungseo, the governor of Yeongwol County, stated, "Through this report meeting, 2026 will be a crucial year for preparing the next 100 years of Yeongwol County and completing the southern Gangwon regional hub city. We will focus our administrative efforts on further enhancing and advancing the core projects of the 8th popularly elected administration so that residents can truly experience the results."

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