Mayor Park Chan-dae Requests Designation of Ganghwa and Ongjin Counties as Peace Economy Special Zones

Attended the Unification Ministry's "Border Area Peace and Safety Joint Conference" on the 27th

Park Chan-dae, Mayor of Incheon, attended the Unification Ministry’s "Border Area Peace and Safety Joint Conference" held at the Government Seoul Office on July 27 and requested that Ganghwa County and Ongjin County be designated as Peace Economy Special Zones by the government.

Mayor Park stated, "The border area must no longer remain a 'zone of regulation and sacrifice' but should be transformed into a 'growth hub of peace and prosperity.' He emphasized that, as Incheon is an international city equipped with ports, an airport, and a free economic zone—possessing both the characteristics of a border region and a global economic foundation—it is well positioned to both revitalize the local economy and establish a foundation for inter-Korean cooperation through designation as a Peace Economy Special Zone."

Previously, in December 2023, the Unification Ministry implemented the Peace Economy Special Zone Act, including Ganghwa and Ongjin Counties in Incheon among a total of 17 cities and counties eligible for designation as Peace Economy Special Zones. It is known that the ministry plans to accept applications this year and next year to finalize the designation of four cities or counties nationwide as Peace Economy Special Zones.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae (from the left), Unification Minister Chung Dongyoung, Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sangho, and Incheon Mayor Park Chandae are attending the 2nd Border Area Peace and Safety Joint Meeting held on the 27th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On this day, the Incheon city government also proposed additional measures, including fare subsidies for passenger ferries for residents from other provinces and cities, relaxation of metropolitan area regulations for Ganghwa and Ongjin counties, and exemptions from preliminary feasibility studies for large-scale investment projects in the border region.

Mayor Park said, "Residents of the border area have made significant sacrifices over a long period for national security, so special support and compensation from the state are necessary. Incheon will take the lead to ensure that the government's peace and coexistence policies create real opportunities for border area residents."

Meanwhile, the meeting was presided over by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and attended by vice ministers from the Ministry of National Defense, the head of the Disaster and Safety Management Office at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, heads of metropolitan governments of Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon, as well as mayors and county chiefs from the border area, to discuss measures for maintaining peace and revitalizing the economy in the region.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.