Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province is pursuing the establishment of a National Natural Recreation Forest in the Moyeon-dong area of Gandong-myeon. The initiative aims to enhance local income by linking abundant forest resources with tourism, recreation, and healing industries.
According to Hwacheon County, Mayor Kim Se-hoon visited the Forest Service at the Government Complex Daejeon on August 10 to discuss plans for the proposed "Hwacheon Moyeon National Natural Recreation Forest". During the meeting, he requested active support and interest from the Forest Service for the project.
The county plans to finalize the site in the Moyeon-dong area by the end of this year. Next year, it will establish a basic plan and officially propose the creation of the National Natural Recreation Forest to the Forest Service.
The candidate site covers approximately 10,000 square meters. The county believes this location is optimal for integrating forest recreation, healing, and experiential functions due to its excellent forest ecosystem and valleys.
Improved accessibility to the metropolitan area following the opening of the East-West High-Speed Railway is also highlighted as a strength. The county anticipates that travel time from Seoul to Hwacheon Station will be reduced to under 60 minutes once the railway is operational.
Mayor Kim also proposed support for forest tourism projects in Saneum-myeon, including the "Center of the Korean Peninsula Arboretum" in Gwangdeok-ri and the native plant garden "Hanamokwon".
The Center of the Korean Peninsula Arboretum is set to be developed over approximately 25 hectares in Gwangdeok-ri from 2028 to 2032, with a total project cost of 6 billion won. It will feature exhibition and viewing facilities, as well as educational and experiential spaces.
The county plans to initiate related studies and begin the permitting process for the arboretum as early as this year.
Hanamokwon in Saneum-myeon is also scheduled for development from 2028 to 2032, with a budget of 3.5 billion won allocated for exhibition areas for native plants, conservation and propagation facilities, and observation and learning spaces.
Hwacheon County covers an area of approximately 909 square kilometers, with about 86% (781 square kilometers) designated as forest land. Nearly half of the total forest area is state-owned, necessitating support and cooperation from the Forest Service for related projects.
The 9th elected term of Hwacheon County aims to develop the National Natural Recreation Forest, arboretum, and Hanamokwon as sustainable tourism resources. The strategy is to expand the foundation for forest tourism and connect it with the sale of local agricultural products, as well as lodging, food, and experiential consumption to increase residents' income.
Mayor Kim stated, "Hwacheon County will cultivate the forest industry as a core development driver by linking tourism, recreation, and healing. I request the cooperation and support of the Forest Service on behalf of the residents of Hwacheon County."
Park Eun-sik, head of the Forest Service, remarked, "Hwacheon is one of the regions with excellent forest resources. Let us work together to ensure that the forest becomes a valuable asset and pride of the community."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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