Gochang County is accelerating efforts to expand tourism infrastructure and improve residents' living conditions, building on support for communities near the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant.
The county said it is pursuing related projects based on a 2016 basic agreement on regional co-prosperity and cooperation worth 30 billion KRW (about US$22.5 million).
So far, projects have included installing village broadcast networks, rehabilitating the Nodong Reservoir for disaster prevention, and constructing the Gushipo fish auction facility, among other measures to strengthen disaster response and the local economy.
The county’s flagship initiatives now include the Noeul Ecological Tidal Flat Platform in the Mandol area of Simwon-myeon and the construction of a convention center. The tidal-flat platform is intended to serve as a coastal tourism hub, while the convention center aims to expand stay-based tourism by attracting larger lodging facilities.
Gochang County said plans for lodging and conference facilities became more concrete after it secured the Monayongpyeong project in 2023. The county plans to work with developers through formal agreements to structure investments and ensure benefits for residents.
The county also secured about 2.4 billion KRW (roughly US$1.8 million) this year in ordinary local allocation grants to support municipalities around the nuclear plant. Officials said this recurring annual funding will be used for resident welfare and to address local issues.
\"We will link co-prosperity projects with the grants to deliver visible regional development and improve living conditions for residents,\" a Gochang County official said.
