The event, which aimed to promote ecotourism in the region, was organized by the Korea Ecotourism Society (한국 생태관광협회), with Jang Byeong-kwon (장병권), Ko Je-ryang (고제량), and Jeong Yeon-bae (정연배) serving as co-chairmen.
Several notable figures attended the event, including Kim Jin-tae (김진태) - the governor of Gangwon Province, Lee Ki-chan (이기찬) - the vice-chairman of the Gangwon Provincial Council, Yang Suk-hee (양숙희) - a member of the Gangwon Provincial Council (Chuncheon), Heo In-goo (허인구) - the president of Gangwon No.1 Broadcasting, and members of the association and local residents.
The event marked the first time that the 73.28-hectare test forest, which boasts 115 species and 138,000 trees planted over 56 years, was opened to the public. The ecotourism initiative was sponsored by the Gangwon-do Forest Science Research Institute and the Gamjeong 1-ri Village Association. It aimed to contribute to the local economy's revitalization through ecotourism, which emphasizes coexisting with nature and preserving the environment.
In his congratulatory speech, Governor Kim Jin-tae emphasized the importance of utilizing forest resources to increase their added value. He expressed hope that ecotourism would become a viable alternative to other economic development strategies as the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province launches in June.
Gangwon Provincial Council member Yang Suk-hee, who participated in the event, noted that the natural resources of the test forest have not been accessible to the public until now. She expressed her hope that the event would pave the way for the test forest to become an ecosystem service ecotourism destination, ultimately leading to the local economy's revitalization.
Kang Seong-won, head of Gamjeong 1-ri, which sponsored the ecotourism initiative, expressed his pride in the village's natural resources, which he said had been reborn as high-value-added tourist resources. He emphasized the significance of the project as a valuable model for promoting village projects that do not rely on hardware development.
Jang Byeong-kwon, chairman of the Korea Ecotourism Society, presented a vision for ecotourism that preserves nature while positively impacting the local economy. He emphasized the importance of sustainable tourism that coexists with local residents, a new tourism model that he believes can be achieved by combining ecotourism and regional economic revitalization.
The event is a result of the ‘Ecotourism Seminar’ in Buksan-myeon, Sinbuk-eup, Chuncheon City, held by Yang Suk-hee's office of the Gangwon Provincial Council in collaboration with the Korea Ecotourism Society in December. The initiative has been praised as a model for promoting village projects that prioritize conservation and wise use of nature.
Ecotourism is an alternative tourism that emerged to overcome the damage to the natural environment and negative impacts on the local community caused by mass group tourism. It refers to nature-friendly tourism that pursues conservation and wise use of nature in areas with excellent ecology and landscape.
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