Gwangju City News

From the Gwangju Metropolitan City website (http://gwangju.go.kr)

New Express Bus Stop on the Gwangju-Honam Line

Gwangju City will create a simple on-request bus stop at the Gwangsan Joreum Rest Area on the Honam Expressway north-bound line in order to reduce the travel time and economic burden for residents of Gwangsan-gu (Suwan, Sinchang, Bia, and Cheomdan) when traveling by express bus toward Seoul.

The site is to be located between the Gwangsan and the Bukgwangsan Interchanges, and on the other side, there will a return stop on the inbound line of the expressway, connected through an underground passage. In September, design and construction were begun as well as the installation of waiting areas, the maintenance of simple stops and connecting passages to the inbound lines, CCTV placement, and a ticketissuing machine. Completion is slated for the end of this year. In addition, the existing Gwangsan Joreum Rest Area will be relocated to near the tollgate in East Gwangju (Dong Gwangju).

Until now, residents of Gwangsan-gu have had to use the Bia stop when coming down to Gwangju by express bus and the Gwangcheon Bus Terminal to take the bus out of town, causing inconveniences such as loss of time and money due to the distances involved.

At the “On-site Hearing Day” held in December 2019, residents, City Hall, and related agencies examined construction plans and promoted the project by signing an agreement with the Korea Expressway Corporation. Gwangju City will pay for the construction based on the service feasibility analysis. With the creation of this stop, residents of Gwangsan-gu will be able to use express buses to Seoul without having to come in to the Gwangcheon Bus Terminal, which is expected to help ease traffic congestion around the terminal and improve travelers’ overall convenience when using express buses.

Gwangju Signs Agreement for Water Industry Growth

Gwangju City recently signed the GwangjuJeonnam Water Industry Innovation Agreement with the Yeongsan River Basin Environment Agency, the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water Yeongsan River and Seomjin River Basin Headquarters), the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation (Jeonnam Regional Headquarters), the Jeollanam-do Environmental Industry Promotion Agency, and Chonnam National University to work together to foster the water environment industry and create jobs. The agreement was designed by the Korea Water Resources Corporation to build systematic support, including cooperation with experts and know-how from each institution, to actively implement the government’s New Deal policy and foster the local water industry.

The agencies that signed the agreement will actively collaborate to foster the local water industry and create quality jobs through mutual partnership, including establishing the GwangjuJeonnam Water Industry Demonstration Center. Other initiatives will include the utilization of infrastructure owned by each institution, furthering education and research, discovering excellent small- and medium-sized venture companies in the region, and supporting institutions and policies for innovative growth.

This agreement is in preparation for events such as responding to the rapidly changing water management environment, the accelerating climate change and digital transformation, and developing innovative water industry technologies in preparation for the global water market that is growing every year.

Park Nam-ju, head of the city’s Environment and Ecology Bureau, stated, “With this agreement, we are laying the groundwork for establishing a water industry demonstration center in the Gwangju-Jeonnam region, and enhance the competitiveness of the water industry by providing various ways to support the growth of local companies through mutual cooperation between the contracting organizations,” and added, “We will work together to secure and create jobs.” Gwangju Dong-gu (East District) News

Walking Back in Time: The Dong-gu Cultural Walkway

Dong-gu is the original city center of Gwangju and is also a space that has served as a stage for major historical events such as the Gwangju Student Independence Movement, the anti-Japanese movement, and the May 18 Democratization Movement. Accordingly, Dong-gu operates the Dong-gu Cultural Walkway through storytelling that includes resources such as historical figures and places located throughout the district.

The Dong-gu Cultural Walkway is a compilation of modern historical figures and stories of modern history such as The Road to Mudeung, which is the story of people who lived lives that pursued a world without discrimination. Also included in the Walkway are Mudeung-ga and the Heunghak-gwan, which were centers of the Japanese colonial era civil society movement; the Gwangju Spirit Circular Road; contemporary figures such as Lee Han-yeol, who were instrumental in creating a decisive opportunity for democratization in Korea; and the Meaningful Road, which holds the story of Gwangju Prison, where independence activists suffered hardships but now young people hang out in crowds.

The Dong-gu Walkway consists of four trails. The Donggu Cultural Walkway program is being actively carried out with resident cultural commentators, and the district is also reviewing commentary programs for foreigners.

Inquiries: Dong-gu Cultural and Urban Policy Division (062-608-2173)