Yangyang Area Affected by Forest Fire Set to be Transformed into Golf Courses



The area heavily affected by a massive forest fire in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do is projected to turn into a building site for golf courses and rural housing, drawing nationwide attention.

Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do said on September 8 that it categorized Yangyang-eup and Ganghyun-myeon as the first zone, Mulgap and Gumpung as the second zone, and Sacheon and Bangchuk as the third zone for the purpose of establishing golf courses, and recently wrapped up a local survey.

Yangyang-gun conducted the first phase preliminary investigation on the geographical features regarding these forest fire ravaged areas.

And among such areas, with respect to Yongho and Gwangseok, Jeongam, and Mulgap, it is also conducting a feasibility study on whether it is possible to create a rural building site, as well as to set up entertainment facilities.

In addition, as for a 233 ha of Hyunnam-myeon damaged by forest fire, Yangyang-gun is scheduled to investigate the current status and potential development conditions of land, establish golf courses, and accomodations and swimming beaches, aiming at launching a tourism development project in joint collaboration with such tourist ports as its neighboring Namae Port.

Yangyang-gun＇s plan is attributed to its judgement that given the tremendous scale of damages by forest fire, it is far more economical to push for another project rather than carry out reforestation.

"It will draw up a management plan by 2007 to attract a number of investors and press ahead with its project," said an official in Yangyang-gun. "Due to the giant scale of its project, Yangyang-gun will enforce it over a long run rather than materialize some visible outcomes in a short time.




Translated by International Cooperation Division

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