Chuncheon Selected for Garden City Development Project... 10 Billion Won to Be Invested in Garden Routes

【Financial News Chuncheon=Reporter Kim Gi-seop】Garden routes linking lakes, islands and waterfronts will stretch across downtown Chuncheon.
Chuncheon said on the 16th that it had been finally selected for the 2027 Garden City Development Project competition organized by the Korea Forest Service (KFS). Accordingly, the city will invest a total of 10 billion won over four years, from 2027 to 2030, including 6.5 billion won in national and provincial funds—5 billion won from the national government and 1.5 billion won from Gangwon State.
The city will establish a garden network centered on Sangjung Island, where the National Garden Materials Center and Chuncheon Lake Regional Garden will be built, linking it with Goguma Island, the Lake Uiam waterfront, Gongjicheon Stream and the urban entrance area. Chuncheon will be divided into four zones—the lake and Lake Uiam waterfront, Gongjicheon Stream and the urban entrance area—to create hub gardens that reflect each area’s landscape and characteristics.
A 10,000-square-meter hub garden connected to Sangjung Island and Hajung Island will be created on Goguma Island in Sanong-dong. A garden linking major tourist attractions, including Soyanggang Skywalk and Chuncheon Samaksan Mountain Lake Cable Car, will be built along the Lake Uiam waterfront in Geunhwa-dong. In the Gongjicheon Stream zone, a linear garden will use 4.9 kilometers of underused space from Geunhwa-dong to Seoksa-dong. The urban entrance area in Dongnae-myeon will be landscaped as a garden-like setting, giving visitors their first impression of the garden city.
Next year, Chuncheon plans to establish a master plan based on garden resources across the city and residents’ needs. Starting in 2028, it will sequentially create hub gardens in each zone, along with 15 village gardens and 40 pocket gardens in towns, townships and neighborhoods. The city will also train 50 citizen gardeners each year and build two garden centers near the regional garden and Kangwon National University (KNU) to support education and hands-on activities. By holding garden fairs, the Lake Garden Festa and garden design competitions, Chuncheon will expand gardens into stay-oriented tourism content and lay the foundation for advancing toward a national garden.
The selection came after the city analyzed the results of its previous application and reviewed the project plan from the ground up. Since October last year, Chuncheon has comprehensively reorganized the target sites and project details, replacing its previous plan, which focused on developing individual spaces, with a zone-based strategy organically connecting lakes, islands, waterfronts and the urban area. The city also improved the plan by explaining it to relevant agencies, including the KFS and Gangwon State, and incorporating their feedback.
A Chuncheon official said, "We will add garden content to the scenery of our lakes and islands and organically connect the city’s green spaces," adding, "For residents, we will provide places to relax in everyday life, and for tourists, we will present new travel routes where they can walk, stay and enjoy themselves."

[email protected] Reporter Kim Gi-seop Reporter