Gagok in Samcheok Transforms into a Stay-Type Wellness Hub with the Combination of Sulfur Hot Spring and Herb Garden

Samcheok City to Launch "Gagok Herb Garden Wellness Center" Project
67 Billion Won Investment; Completion Targeted for 2027
Healing with Sulfur Hot Springs and the Aroma of Herbs

A new wellness tourism destination where visitors can heal both body and mind in nature is set to open in Gagok, a small village in southern Gangwon Province.

Aerial view of Gagok Herb Garden. Provided by Samcheok City

On March 12, Samcheok City announced that it plans to develop the "Gagok Herb Garden Wellness Center Project" in the Gagok-myeon area, aiming to create a stay-type healing tourism hub that combines a sulfur hot spring with a herb garden.

The core of this project is to provide a space where people can escape the bustle of city life and experience rest and healing in nature. Based on the nationally renowned Gagok Sulfur Hot Spring, the plan is to leverage the pristine natural environment of the Gagok area to offer new tourism content that integrates a herb garden and wellness programs.

The project site is in the Ojeo-ri area of Gagok-myeon. By 2027, the city plans to invest a total of over 6.7 billion won—including 2.5 billion won in national funding—to create a 36,000-square-meter herb garden and construct one wellness center building.

Since being selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's regional development project in July 2024, Samcheok City has been working on establishing the basic plan and conducting an architectural design competition. The contractors for civil engineering, landscaping, and architectural design have been selected, and the city aims to begin construction in earnest by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Samcheok City has contributed to establishing a tourism hub and revitalizing the local economy through the development of the Gagok Sulfur Hot Spring, which opened in 2023 with a total project cost of 17 billion won. Starting in 2026, the city plans to collaborate with a new operator to further boost hot spring visitor numbers and local revitalization by launching programs such as discounted bathing services for senior citizens, atopic dermatitis healing programs for children, and partnership projects with Sol Beach Samcheok.

A Samcheok City official stated that with the concept of combining the sulfur hot spring and herbs, the city aims to develop the Gagok area into a center for wellness tourism that goes beyond a simple tourist attraction. Given the increasing demand for health and healing-focused tourism, the official expressed confidence in the project's competitiveness and pledged to do their utmost to attract new residents and boost the local economy through its successful implementation.

The city also expressed hope that the herb garden and wellness center established through this project will be operated by a local community group formed by residents of Gagok-myeon, thereby fulfilling the intent of regional development and enhancing both community capacity and unity.

The sulfur hot spring and herb garden projects are being promoted and operated as resident-led regional development initiatives. In particular, the sulfur hot spring is managed by the Gagok-myeon Cooperative, in which more than 50% of Gagok-myeon residents (214 households out of 420) participate.

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