Gyeonggi Province Launches ‘Regional River Project’ in Collaboration with Cities/Counties and Ministry of Environment

Gyeonggi Province plans to promote the 'Regional River Project’ to create eco-friendly riverside parks based on nature, culture, and region.

@Gyeonggi Province

Gyeonggi Province Launches ‘Regional River Project’ in Collaboration with Cities/Counties and Ministry of Environment

Gyeonggi Province announced that it will promote the ‘Regional River Project’ from 2022 in cooperation with cities/counties of the province and the Ministry of Environment. 

Well-known examples of eco-friendly riverside parks in Korea include the Cheonggyecheon Stream and Yangjaecheon Stream in Seoul as well as Daejeon Stream in Daejeon Metropolitan City. As most urban rivers degrade due to rapid urbanization, the need to create eco-friendly waterfront spaces has grown. 

@Gyeonggi Province 

Promoting the creation of an eco-friendly riverside park that combines rivers and cultural spaces in Gyeonggi Province

Recently, as the number of complaints related to water-friendly rivers and cultural spaces have increased more than quadrupled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public demand for water-friendly rivers has also increased. 

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province plans to officially carry out this project to create eco-friendly riverside parks that combine Gyeonggi Province rivers with cultural spaces. 

The provincial government revealed that it will present a new paradigm for rivers that unifies projects related to flood control, water quality, and ecology – which have been promoted individually – and create clean and safe water-friendly spaces for the pursuit of local economic and cultural development. 

@Gyeonggi Province

Local governments with low financial independence can also participate, which is expected to serve as a stepping stone for balanced regional development

This project, for which the Ministry of Environment covers 50% of the total project budget, is expected to serve as a stepping stone for balanced regional development as it enables even local governments with low financial independence to participate. 

Project ideas were gathered through context exhibits up to September 8 from cities and counties in the province, and an evaluation committee will analyze the feasibility, necessity, dimensional adequacy, project effects, and other aspects to select three projects by the end of September and then request budgetary support from the national government. 

@Gyeonggi Province

Promoting the establishment of an eco-friendly waterfront cultural space that combines local space and social infrastructure

The project will focus on promoting the construction of eco-friendly waterside cultural spaces that integrate local spaces and social infrastructure with a focus on rivers, a package-type project that maximizes budget reduction and efficiency related to regional development; its enables the discovery of creative models that provide impetus for regional development and growth. 

The Ministry of Environment will select the final project after reviewing the projects proposed by each metropolitan area, giving consideration to economic effects and various other aspects during December this year and proceeding with full-scale execution from 2023. The project budget is set between KRW 30 billion - 400 billion for each project, with the total borne equally by the national and local governments. 

@Gyeonggi Province

The 'Regional River Project’ will see the creation of integrated cultural spaces along urban waterways that are losing their function as rivers. We look forward to presenting a new river paradigm for the future in which water flow, ecology, culture, and tourism blend together as a regional growth engine for Gyeonggi Province.