S. Korea to bolster tourism in coastal, border regions

SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government said Wednesday that it will step up efforts to stimulate South Korea's tourism industry by easing regulations and fostering investment in the southern part of the country.

The project, however, will be pursued in a way so as not to harm the environment
in the region, which is famous for its scenic seaside landscape dotted with
numerous small islands, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in a statement.
The government also plans to create a world-class eco-tour and peace belt along
the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating South and North Korea, according to
officials at the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
It will push to build a cross-country bicycle path along the 495-kilometer-long
DMZ before hosting an international mountain bike championship there, while
seeking to designate the DMZ area as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, said ministry
officials.
In addition, the Seoul government will push to build an international peace park
within the DMZ and lure the United Nations to build its peace conference center
and a U.N. peace college at the inter-Korean peace village of Panmunjom
straddling the two Koreas.
In a related move to promote inter-Korean reconciliation, the government will
also seek to link Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, and North Korea's
southern border cities of Kaesong and Haeju with a bridge.
The decisions, made in a meeting chaired by President Lee Myung-bak, are a
follow-up on government measures unveiled in July that aim to encourage
investment in the nation's tourism industry.
"We will push to streamline regulations deemed to be hampering investment in the
southern seaside region in a way that does no harm to the environment," the
finance ministry said. "At the same time, efforts will be made to create supreme
landscapes, provide diverse tourism content and enhance investment efficiency."
President Lee stressed the importance of developing different areas into a joint
tourist attraction, saying the move will raise their overall competitiveness.
"This is not only a global trend, but it will also help strengthen cooperation
and exchange between the regions," he was quoted as telling a meeting of the
Presidential Committee on Regional Development, held in Daegu, some 300
kilometers southeast of Seoul.
Lee said the integration and joint development of regions will also lead to the
balanced growth of the entire nation, according to the presidential office Cheong
Wa Dae.
Under the latest measures, the government says it will push to ease restrictions
related to facility construction in a bid to draw investments for building
infrastructure.
It will designate dozens of marinas in the region in order to help build diverse
maritime leisure facilities, while establishing foreign-investment zones that can
help boost facility construction. It will also push to create diverse tourism
routes to enhance attractions in the region.
The measures are in line with a government-led drive to develop the service
sector, stimulate domestic consumption and boost job creation as part of efforts
to find a solid growth engine for the nation's economy. Maritime tourism has been
cited as a major service-sector industry as the nation is surrounded by seas and
is known for its many scenic seaside views.
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