GANGWON-DO < invest Korea

Governor of Gangwon Province Choi Moon-soon called for a strategy meeting to foster the cruise industry last week to discuss future measures.

It was to respond as Park Geun-hye administration’s measures to foster the cruise industry as a future growth engine with system improvement and the tourism industry development measures.

Governor Choi noted that the cruise industry will serve as a new growth engine for Gangwon Province, stressing that the province should be prepared to act proactively.

The Gangwon Province plans to organize a taskforce team to develop a basic plan and introduce a harmony cruise this year.

The Sokcho port will serve as a home port for a pilot project and the Gangwon Provincial College will also be promoted to train specialized talents.

When a national cruise committee is established to support the cruise industry, Gangwon Province plans to attract the secretariat of the committee.

A cruise between Ulleungdo and Busan is under negotiation to include Japan in its course. Gangwon Province plans to introduce the cruise program this year.

It also signed a memorandum of understanding for the cruise programs with Sokcho city, Harmony Cruise and Daekyeung University last March.

The province is promoting establishment of a cruise industry association to develop the cruise industry.

The Province expects the eastern coast of Korea will lead the Korean cruise industry and a cruise hub in the Northeast Asia with the cruise industry association and the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics.

A Gangwon official noted that Korea’s marine industry will shift its focus to the cruise industry and Gangwon will play an important role, adding that the province is promoting a cruise industry development strategy that considers the future after the 2018 Olympics.

Source: Yonhap News (July 18, 2013)

** This article was translated from the Korean.