Gangwon State is devoting itself to making sure that major pending issues facing the province are reflected in each political party’s public pledges for the upcoming 21st presidential election.
To this end, the provincial government formed a taskforce designed to make sure Gangwon State’s pending issues are included into each political party’s public pledges for the upcoming the presidential election and it will be operated for two months from April 14.
The group, headed by Gangwon State’s administrative vice governor, has the planning coordination office chief, serving as the overall situation room head with 18 cities and counties, the Gangwon Research Institute and outside experts participating.
It is in charge of exploring core tasks and making them into public pledges of the presidential election.
Gangwon State will propose public pledge tasks for each political party over two occasions.
In consideration of a shorter election process, the first tasks, including existing core pending issues, will be delivered to each political party on April 14, so as to have as many reflected as possible, and new tasks, to be explored through the governor’s meeting, will be suggested as a second round of proposals.
Among major public pledge tasks in the first proposal package are 23 tasks in seven areas, including the “Special Act on Gangwon State,” top seven future industries and SOC expansion.
Gangwon State seeks to have the top seven future industries, including semiconductors, bio-health and future car and hydrogen, included in public pledges during the presidential election so as to reshape the province’s industrial map while soliciting the government’s full support to make the province stretching all directions through expansion of infrastructure, now in a poor situation.
The first set of proposals also includes support to invigorate the closed mine areas, reinforced the execution of the top four special regulatory exemptions and a variety of tasks for the tourism and agro-fishery sectors.
Gov. Kim Jin-tae said, “The election clock is ticking fast, a taskforce body was formed and it will be operated for two months, starting today, and we will focus on the 3rd revision of the Special Act on Gangwon State, special exemptions, not included in the previous revisions, top seven future industries and expanded social overhead capital.”
Gangwon State Expands Efforts to Attract Inbound Tourists
Gangwon State said on April 7 it launched a promotion campaign to attract inbound tourists on the occasion of “Visit Gangwon Year 2025-2026.”
The province targets group tourists through chartered flights between Yangyang and the Philippines in cooperation with Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
A combined 300 Filipino group tourists are to visit the province through Yangyang International Airport on three occasions – on April12, April 16 and April 20.
The tourists are given the chance to enjoy the unique specialty experiences Gangwon State offers, such as wellness, hallyu (Korean Wave), drama location sites while staying there.
The province plans to implement projects in earnest to attract group tourists from major foreign market through 32 foreign travel agencies and corporate incentive tour organizations.
Gangwon State is accelerating efforts to attract cruise tourists.
The large-cruise “Nordam” of Holland America of the United States aboard some 2,800 North American tourists and screw members is to arrive at Sokcho Port on April 19.
Visitors will be given the chance to experience a variety of welcoming events, such as traditional Korean lion play, “Samgomu Dance (three-drum dance),” and hanbok experience.
The province has agreed to host the Nordam’s port calls on a combined 12 occasions until 2028, including four in 2025. Gangwon State plans to conduct marketing activities to attract more cruise liners.
“Tourist Taxi for Exclusive Use of Foreign Independent Travelers (FITs),” a platform Gangwon State made in cooperation of Gangwon Tourism Organization and three cities, will be reopened.
The platform, designed to develop products targeting FITs, has been established as the province’s representative taxi tourist product by attracting more than 10,000 FITs since last year when it made its debut.
Jung Kwang-yeol, vice governor in charge of economic affairs at Ganwon State, said, “We’ve been accelerating efforts to attract foreign tourists on the occasion of Visit Gangwon Year 2025-2026, and we will bear practical fruits by strategically using the province’s tourism infrastructure.”
