![Image from the 2026 Gyeonggi-do Local Tourism Content Discovery and Support Project. [Photo: Paju City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/03/CP-2023-0087/image-b63f9483-d92a-48d7-b265-0d6566517a64.jpeg)
[iNews24 reporter Kim Jeong-su] Paju City announced on the 26th that it has been chosen in the final round of the 2026 Gyeonggi-do Local Tourism Content Discovery and Support Project, run by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization.
Through the program, Paju secured provincial funding of 150 million KRW (approximately $112,500).
The initiative seeks to uncover tourism content rooted in each region’s unique resources and stories, and to create a practical framework for joint projects between local governments and private partners.
Out of 26 submissions, six projects were ultimately selected for support, including Paju’s proposal.
Paju is promoting the campaign under the slogan Re:DMZ, Regeneration & Relax, and laid out the vision: Healing and coexistence blooming from once-forbidden land — Paju’s ecological wellness transformation.
The city’s DMZ Forest–centered tourism plan aims to use the DMZ area’s distinct ecological and peace-related assets to elevate wellness-focused travel. The goal is to create a stay-focused tourism model that encourages visitors to explore and linger across Paju.
The project will be carried out through a structured public–private partnership.
Paju City will handle overall project management and content development, while Paju City Corporation will take care of accounting and settlements.
The private organization DMZ Forest (CEO Im Mi-ryeo) will refine the offerings and operate programs that connect with local communities to ensure strong on-the-ground execution.
The city plans to pair sustainable tourism development with barrier-free access so everyone can stay comfortably and longer, boosting visitor dwell time and helping revive the local economy.
It will also develop tourism content that involves residents to strengthen Paju’s unique competitive edge.
Kim Tae-hoon, director of the Culture and Education Bureau, said, "This selection reflects our reinterpretation of the DMZ's ecological value as a world-class asset. We'll turn Paju's distinctive tourism model into real, market-ready experiences to stimulate the local economy, and we'll spare no effort to help Paju become 'Modurang Paju' — a destination where everyone wants to stay."
