Governor Suhyun Park of South Chungcheong: "No Private Sale of Geumgang Arboretum, a Future Asset"

"Relocation of Power Generation Headquarters
Should Compensate for Sacrifices Made for Sejong City Construction"

On the 29th, Governor Suhyun Park of Chungnam held a press conference at the provincial office and announced the suspension of the private sale of the Geumgang Arboretum in Sejong City.

Although Geumgang Arboretum is located in Sejong City, it is owned by South Chungcheong Province. After closing its doors in June last year, it is now set to reopen soon.

On July 29, Governor Suhyun Park of South Chungcheong Province held a press conference in the briefing room at the provincial government office and announced, “Even if our fiscal environment is challenging, it is not desirable to sell assets meant for future generations to the private sector.” He stated that the private sale of Geumgang Arboretum (Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute) has been suspended.

The provincial government plans to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sejong City for the joint operation of the arboretum.

Instead, Governor Park emphasized, “South Chungcheong Province made significant sacrifices—including the loss of land, population, and tax revenue—for the construction of Sejong City,” and added, “Since no public institutions have relocated to the region even after its designation as an innovation city, South Chungcheong Province should be prioritized in the upcoming second round of relocations.”

In particular, regarding the upcoming Special Act on Support for Areas Affected by the Abolition of Coal-Fired Power Plants, which is set to be implemented next year, he expressed the necessity of attracting the integrated headquarters of the five power generation companies to South Chungcheong Province.

He stated, “We will steadily push forward investments in alternative industries to ensure the West Coast of South Chungcheong becomes the central axis of South Korea's energy transition.”

Governor Park also apologized regarding recent controversies over the appointment of the political deputy governor and misconduct during the heavy rain warning period, saying, “As governor, I am deeply sorry and take responsibility.”

However, regarding the dismissal of a senior civil servant, he explained, “It was a principled action in response to misconduct.”

Revealing that he personally delivered handwritten letters to civic groups and labor unions that had raised criticisms, he added, “When issues are raised, I will listen to opinions and operate the provincial administration with a willingness to revise and improve.”

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