Governor Sim Min of Imsil Meets Chairman Ahn Hoyoung to Propose Key Local Projects

Request for Support in Establishing Okjeongho Ecological Tourism Infrastructure

Sim Min, the governor of Imsil County in North Jeolla Province, recently met with Ahn Hoyoung, Chairman of the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee, to request active cooperation and support from the National Assembly for resolving key local projects in Imsil County aimed at establishing ecological tourism infrastructure at Okjeongho Lake.

Sim Min, the governor of Imsil County, recently met with Ahn Hoyoung, Chairman of the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee, to request active cooperation and support from the National Assembly for resolving key local projects in Imsil County aimed at establishing ecological tourism infrastructure at Okjeongho Lake. Photo by Imsil County

According to the county on November 17, Governor Sim Min requested support for the construction of a 370-meter Okjeongho Ecological Exploration Bridge, which would connect tourism resources and ensure visitor safety at the Okjeongho Bung-eo Island Ecological Park-a project that was also mentioned during a recent parliamentary audit.

Bung-eo Island Ecological Park has become a nationally recognized tourist destination, attracting 1.72 million visitors over the past three years since the opening of its suspension bridge. The county has been working to increase visitor stay time by expanding tourism infrastructure, including the creation of a 4-kilometer waterfront deck around Bung-eo Island Ecological Park.

Currently, there is no bridge connecting Yongun Village in Unam, the end point of the 4-kilometer waterfront deck around Bung-eo Island, to Bung-eo Island Ecological Park. As a result, visitors must return to the entry point, causing ongoing inconvenience.

Governor Sim Min stated, "The installation of a connecting bridge is essential to complete the Okjeongho ecological tourism site," and further explained, "In particular, I reiterated the need for the bridge, emphasizing the difficulty of quick access in the event of a safety accident on Bung-eo Island."

The county has requested active support so that the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, which oversees national rivers and dam management, can include the project budget in next year's allocation.

Additionally, Governor Sim Min proposed the exclusion of certain areas from the Seomjingang Dam and river zones to lay the groundwork for the creation of the Unam Artificial Wetland and the Haneulbau Ecological Park.

The county has been working to heal the pain of residents displaced by flooding and to establish stable farmland by promoting the Unam Specialized Complex and Ssangam Apdeul Development Project on the Apdeul site in Unam.

Currently, the remaining 128,787 square meters of land have been excluded from the land formation due to the normalization of the Seomjingang Dam, with the opening of Local Road No. 717 and the construction of embankments.

As the site was selected this year as the location for the Haneulbau Ecological Park by Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, the county requested support for the exclusion of dam and river zones before the full-scale implementation of the project, reflecting Imsil County's position.

Governor Sim Min stated, "The damage and regulations that Imsil County and its residents have had to endure since the construction of the Seomjingang Dam, the nation's first multi-purpose dam, are beyond words," adding, "Since the lifting of the water source protection zone in 2015, it has taken more than a decade of joint efforts by residents and the administration to develop the Okjeongho ecological tourism site. To truly complete this project, active support from the National Assembly and decisive action from central government agencies are necessary."

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