Gangwon Provincial Assembly, local governments and fisheries cooperative hold issues forum
The agriculture, forestry and fisheries committee of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Provincial Assembly convened a policy forum Thursday with officials from Gangwon Province, Sokcho city and the fisheries cooperative, agreeing to push for expanding international cruise calls at Sokcho Port to 10 per year, attracting a home-port cruise operation, and demolishing a derelict coastal ferry terminal left abandoned after its operator's permit was revoked.
The main agenda items were the normalization of Sokcho Port's international passenger terminal, the revitalization of cruise tourism at Sokcho Port, administrative enforcement action on the coastal ferry terminal, and a plan to address vessels that have been moored at the port for extended periods.
The four parties — the provincial assembly, Gangwon Province, Sokcho city and the private sector — agreed to step up port sales efforts with the goal of securing 10 international cruise calls a year and attracting a home-port cruise operation to Sokcho by 2030, aiming to reverse the sharp decline in cruise activity caused by COVID-19.
To encourage cruise tourists to spend money locally, the parties also agreed to develop tourism products linked to downtown commercial districts and operate dedicated shuttle services.
They also decided to carry out administrative enforcement on the coastal ferry terminal — a structure that has long blighted the port's appearance and raised safety concerns — between November and December.
The facility's permit was revoked after the private operator failed to meet the conditions of its non-administrative harbor development license. Gangwon Province recently won a first-instance administrative lawsuit challenging the cancellation of a prior enforcement notice, and plans to proceed with the demolition in about three months.
Once cleared, the site will be redeveloped — in consultation with Sokcho city — into public amenities for residents and tourists, including a parking lot and waterfront facilities.
The forum also reviewed plans to address vessels on long-term moorings at Sokcho Port, a situation that has contributed to a shortage of available berths. Three ships are currently affected: the Zenith, a Russian deep-sea fishing vessel; the Tamyang, an official vessel belonging to Gangwon State University; and the Harmony, a sightseeing boat. Authorities plan to resolve the situation through sale or scrapping by the first half of 2027 to improve port operational efficiency.
Participants also discussed the normalization of Sokcho Port's international passenger terminal, ownership of which was transferred to Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province in December 2024. The facility has deteriorated seriously, making large-scale renovation work unavoidable to meet current safety standards. Attendees exchanged views on the difficulties of attracting shipping lines amid the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and instability in the Middle East, as well as the substantial fiscal investment required, and discussed a range of measures to restore the terminal to full operation.
Closing the forum, committee Chairman Kang Jeong-ho urged close communication and cooperation among the relevant agencies. "I ask that we resolve Sokcho Port's key pending issues swiftly, restore the port's core functions, and make it a catalyst for revitalizing the local economy," he said.
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