This photo provided by Changwon city government shows Port of Masan.
SEJONG, March 26 (Korea Bizwire) — The government plans to set up marine parks and trails at a selection of ten ports across the country by 2027.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on Thursday that it will establish the port space renovation plan through an outsourcing contract worth 996 million won (US$879,000) by June 2022.
Thereafter, the ministry will select a total of ten ports for the establishment of marine parks and trails among the nation’s major trade and coastal ports on the basis of assessment of geological locations and the satisfaction of port users.
For the selected ports, marine parks, trails, marine experience and landscape facilities will be established by 2027. Convenience facilities such as parking lots and rest areas will also be renovated.
Ports, in general, create jobs and contribute to the regional economy. Nonetheless, there are many cases where local residents have a sense of resistance to the ports since they have some negative images, including the creation of traffic congestion.
Even the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is stressing that active efforts should be made to address the poor public image of ports in order to ensure their smooth long-term operations.
On the basis of the renovation plan, the ministry plans to make the sites more familiar and attractive to regional residents.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
