Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Gangwon Province and cities of Gangneung and Sokcho had earlier pledged cooperation
Yangyang International Airport, the gateway hub for drawing foreign tourists into Gangwon Province, is set to expand its network of partners — adding several quasi-governmental bodies to the government support it has already secured.
Yangyang-gun, Kangwon Land, Korea Airports Corporation, the Gangwon Tourism Foundation and Yangyang Airport will sign an MOU Friday afternoon at a conference room on the second floor of Yangyang International Airport to promote the airport's operations and develop the regional tourism industry.
The agreement is aimed at boosting air traffic at Yangyang International Airport and strengthening the competitiveness of Gangwon Province's tourism sector.
Under the MOU, the four institutions will pool their human and material resources and expertise to build a cooperative framework, working together to invigorate the local economy by linking aviation and tourism centered on Yangyang International Airport.
The key provisions cover attracting new air routes to Yangyang International Airport and supporting expanded flight operations; jointly developing tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) products tied to Gangwon Province; and jointly promoting domestic and international tourism products through shared marketing efforts.
Yangyang-gun will review administrative support measures to help activate the airport and plans to cooperate on improving tourism infrastructure by linking local tourism resources with the airport, expanding the capacity to accommodate more visitors.
![Dorongi Pond along the Kangwon Land sky trail. The pond formed after a mine shaft collapsed, and miners' families would pray here for their loved ones' safe return each day. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/11/12/news-p.v1.20261112.7148fefe43c245ee8ba0092c99392130_P1.jpg)
Kangwon Land plans to develop tourism packages using its facilities, including High1 Resort, and will pursue various benefits for Yangyang International Airport users, such as discounts on facility use.
The Gangwon Tourism Foundation will support joint marketing efforts to attract overseas visitors and work to generate tangible tourism demand through familiarization tours for domestic and international travel agencies and tourism industry officials, as well as jointly developing travel agency-linked tourism products.
Korea Airports Corporation's Yangyang Airport office will support promotional activities using airport infrastructure and media, review expanded reductions in airport usage fees, and cooperate in promoting High1 Resort-linked tourism products to airport users.
Yangyang-gun expects the agreement to contribute to increased demand at Yangyang International Airport and a more vibrant tourism industry in Gangwon Province by creating a cooperative foundation that organically connects route attraction, tourism product development, visitor recruitment and promotional marketing.
The signing ceremony will be attended by Yangyang County Chief Kim Jeong-jung, Kangwon Land CEO Kim Do-gyun, Gangwon Tourism Foundation President Yeom Dong-yeol and Korea Airports Corporation Yangyang Airport Acting Director Park Byeong-ro, who will discuss cooperation measures to activate Yangyang International Airport.
"Yangyang International Airport is a vital transportation and tourism infrastructure that will drive growth in Gangwon Province's tourism industry and invigorate the local economy," Kim said. "Through this agreement, we will build a close cooperative framework among the relevant institutions and make every effort to ensure Yangyang International Airport fulfills its role as the gateway to Gangwon tourism by attracting new air routes and expanding tourism demand."
Earlier, South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Gangwon Province, and the cities of Chuncheon, Gangneung and Sokcho held a forum on promoting regional tourism linked to local airports at Yangyang International Airport on Sept. 7, discussing ways for Yangyang International Airport and other regional airports to play a greater role in boosting inbound tourism and pledging their support.
abc@heraldcorp.com
