On June 29, Vice Minister Kim Min-jae visited Changwon City and Changnyeong County in South Gyeongsang Province to inspect sites aimed at boosting local economic activity, including the Social Economy Innovation Town, Soridan-gil, and Bugok Hot Springs Tourism Zone.
This visit was intended to assess the progress of policies designed to invigorate local economies by leveraging regional industrial, cultural, and tourism resources, while exploring balanced growth strategies through social economy initiatives, local branding, and tourism promotion.
Kim first visited the Social Economy Innovation Town in Gyeongnam, where he examined the support system for startups and growth based on the social economy. He held a meeting with resident companies and stakeholders to gather their insights and challenges.
During the meeting, Kim stated, "Local businesses, support organizations, and youth will come together in one space to create new vitality based on solidarity and cooperation. We will spare no effort in supporting the growth of social economy organizations and establishing a sustainable ecosystem."
Next, he visited Soridan-gil in Changwon's Uichang District, which has been selected for the Ministry's 'Smart Neighborhood Life' project aimed at addressing urban decline.
Kim toured co-working spaces and youth pop-up shops, engaging with young entrepreneurs to hear about their activities and challenges in revitalizing the old town.
Finally, he traveled to Changnyeong County to visit the Bugok Hot Springs Tourism Zone, a leading domestic hot spring resort, where he assessed the efficient use of hot spring water and improvements needed for aging tourism infrastructure.
In a meeting with local stakeholders, Kim emphasized, "To increase the number of residents who stay longer, it is essential to modernize unique local resources like Bugok Hot Springs to align with current trends. We will closely collaborate with local governments to ensure that Changnyeong's tourism potential becomes a powerful tool against regional decline."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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