Gov. Park Soo-hyun visits Taean-gun on second 'Chungnam Tonghaeng' tour, vows to make county 'hub of West Sea transformation'
A blueprint has been laid out for Taean-gun's future development, covering the energy transition following the closure of coal-fired power plants, the cultivation of future industries and the expansion of transportation networks.
South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun visited Taean-gun on Tuesday for the second stop of his "Chungnam Tonghaeng" provincial tour, listening to local concerns and residents' voices while sharing the policy direction of the ninth elected-term administration.
As with the first stop, the day's schedule began with a breakfast meeting with County Chief Yun Hee-shin at 8 a.m., followed in turn by a press briefing, a visit to the county council, a preliminary reception with heads of institutions and organizations, and a town hall dialogue with Taean residents.
The dialogue with residents was held at the grand performance hall of the Taean Culture and Arts Center with County Chief Yun and some 600 residents in attendance. Park personally reported on progress made on issues raised at a June town hall meeting and took questions from the floor.
Park said he intended to develop Taean into the "hub of the West Sea transformation" — a place that would move beyond the crisis posed by coal plant closures and write a new chapter for South Chungcheong Province's future.
To that end, the province said it would focus its efforts on four priorities: a just energy transition in response to the coal plant closures; the development of future advanced industries including urban air mobility and industrial complexes running on 100 percent renewable energy; the expansion of transportation links including a maritime bridge across Garorim Bay and the Taean–Anseong expressway; and the creation of marine ecology and tourism hubs through the ecological restoration of Bunamho Lake and the development of the Anmyeondo tourist zone.
Of the nine resident proposals that emerged from the June town hall, two have been completed — consultations on the Anmyeondo tourist zone development and the establishment of a dedicated offshore wind power management framework.
Park said five more items are currently being pursued: support for women farmers through happiness vouchers and convenience equipment, health management for residents near power plants, expansion of the foreign seasonal worker program, utilization of the Taean International Horticulture Healing Expo venue, and the establishment of a just energy transition model.
He said the province would continue to push for an upgrade of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service branch office, and pledged ongoing communication with residents to address concerns over noise and the potential militarization of airspace related to the Defense Ministry's future aviation research center.
Park also expressed strong willingness to support key issues raised by Taean-gun. The province will continue to petition the central government for the designation of a just transition special zone in response to the phased closure of Taean Thermal Power Plant, follow-up measures under the special act supporting coal plant closure regions, and a region-differentiated electricity tariff system. On the planned consolidation of state-owned power company headquarters, the province will actively highlight the South Chungcheong west coast as the optimal site for a just energy transition and work to attract the headquarters to the province. For the Taean–Anseong expressway, it plans to work closely with relevant agencies to explore ways to break ground at the earliest opportunity.
Alongside this, the province agreed to actively support or cooperate on the following, subject to project progress and fiscal conditions: regular hosting of a companion plant expo, continued use of the Taean International Horticulture Healing Expo venue, development of the Anmyeondo tourist zone, construction of the country's first sand museum, support for fisheries cultivation and aquaculture, pine wilt disease control, early completion of the West Chungnam wide-area water supply system, a 20th anniversary commemoration of overcoming the West Sea oil spill, and environmental improvements to the Taean public bus terminal.
"Taean is a key region for the West Sea transformation, endowed with both exceptional marine resources and the infrastructure for future new industries," Park said. "We will concentrate our efforts to turn the crisis of coal plant closures into a new opportunity for growth, and to help Taean rise as the central city driving growth across South Chungcheong Province's West Sea corridor."
Following Taean, Park is scheduled to continue the Chungnam Tonghaeng tour with visits to Gongju on Sept. 17, Asan on Sept. 22, and Seocheon on Sept. 29.
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
