Gyeongbuk Province Seeks Ways to Revitalize 490 Aging Rural Welfare and Tourism Facilities

On November 25, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government held a briefing session on "Strategies to Revitalize Underutilized Public Facilities" in the conference room at the provincial government office. During the session, officials reviewed the current state of underutilized public facilities across the province and discussed future improvement measures.

While there are public facilities in our communities that provide satisfactory services to local residents and tourists, there are also a significant number of facilities that are not fully utilized due to outdated exteriors or content that no longer aligns with current trends.

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office

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In response, since February of this year, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government has conducted a survey of 490 public facilities in 22 cities and counties across the province. The survey targeted facilities with a construction budget of at least 3 billion won at the time of establishment or those with annual operating expenses of at least 300 million won. The survey examined the time of construction, operating costs, operational status, and any issues present.

The results showed that the main causes of underutilization were facility environment and equipment defects (34.9%), as well as content that does not meet the needs of the times (17.8%). In particular, facilities that are more than 20 years old (13.8%) had extremely low usage rates, indicating the need for improved management systems and a redefinition of facility objectives.

A representative from the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government stated, "We are currently investigating 490 communal facilities, including social welfare centers, senior welfare centers, parks, and tourist facilities scattered throughout rural areas. While these facilities were actively used when first built, decades have passed and the number of users has declined. We are seeking ways to make better use of them."

During this briefing session, based on the survey results, the problems and necessary improvements for each public facility were analyzed. Revitalization plans for more than 20 public facilities, carefully reviewed by each department, were also presented.

Taking this briefing session as an opportunity, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government plans to actively pursue various measures to reduce inefficiencies in public facility operations. These include developing customized content and remodeling based on the needs of residents, as well as repurposing functions.

Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, stated, "There were high expectations when these public facilities were first built, but over time, some have become financial burdens. Since these facilities were created with residents' tax money, we will repair problematic facilities and return them to the residents so that everyone can benefit from them."

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