Wando County Launches 'Six Major County Strategies' for the Next Decade... Leading in Marine Healing and Blue Carbon

Governor Shin Woochul Presents Strategies for Marine, Tourism, Agriculture and Fisheries, Transportation, and Welfare

Wando County in South Jeolla Province has unveiled its 2026 county administration roadmap, centered on marine healing, marine bio, and blue carbon.

During the policy speech at the 333rd Wando County Council 2nd Regular Meeting on December 4, Governor Shin Woochul stated, "Over the past 12 years, we have laid the foundation for Wando's century-long vision," adding, "The leading strategies in marine healing, marine bio, and blue carbon are paths that only Wando can pursue."

Shin Woochul, Wando County Governor, announced the county's roadmap for next year, including marine healing, marine bio, and blue carbon, during the policy speech at the 333rd Wando County Council 2nd Regular Meeting. Provided by Wando County

Governor Shin highlighted this year's achievements, including: the inclusion of five key projects such as the Smart Convergence K-Marine Healing Hub in the government's regional pledges; 120,000 visitors to the Marine Healing Center and 880,000 participants in healing experiences; an economic impact of 13 billion won generated by 'Wando Healing Pay'; the successful preliminary feasibility study for the National Marine and Fisheries Museum; and the selection of the Yaksan-Geumil Bridge project for a preliminary feasibility study.

He also mentioned the success of international events, noting, "As Wando's seaweed gains global attention, the IPCC's recognition of seaweed as a new carbon sink marks a major turning point."

Building on the foundation established so far, Governor Shin presented six key strategies. First, the county plans to further enhance the competitiveness of the marine healing and bio industries by designating a marine healing zone, establishing a data platform, and expanding private investment. The research, certification, and production infrastructure will also be upgraded, centering on the Seaweed Bio Smart Factory.

Strengthening the 'Island of Healing' brand is another core focus. The county aims to establish a Wando-style healing tourism paradigm by promoting island-themed tourism, creating the National Wando Subtropical Arboretum, and hosting an international marine wellness festival.

The agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors will shift to a climate change response system. Future-oriented strategies will be implemented, such as specialized blue carbon aquaculture, building a carbon trading system, expanding AI smart aquaculture, and cultivating subtropical crops.

Efforts to expand the transportation network, which is key to improving the residential environment, will be accelerated. The construction of the Gwangju-Wando Expressway and the building of bridges connecting Yaksan, Geumil, Nohwa, and Soan islands will greatly improve accessibility between the islands and the mainland.

Urban regeneration, revitalization of fishing villages, and expansion of water supply and LPG networks will be carried out in parallel to ensure balanced development between the mainland and islands. In the welfare sector, which is directly linked to residents' lives, support for housing for the elderly and youth, expansion of sports facilities, designation of special education zones, and women-friendly policies will be strengthened.

Governor Shin emphasized, "The core of county administration is always the residents," and added, "We will do our utmost to advance key industries and ensure that the results are connected to the lives of our residents."

The 2026 budget proposal submitted by Wando County amounts to 652.9 billion won, a 5% increase compared to this year.

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