South Korea has held a groundbreaking ceremony for the first segment of the Jecheon-Yeongwol highway to connect North Chungcheong and Gangwon Province.
The project intends to end the long-term isolation of the southern Gangwon region by providing critical highway access. Local officials said the new infrastructure will stimulate economic development and improve accessibility for residents in Yeongwol and Jecheon.
The highway project carries an estimated cost of 2 trillion won [1]. By linking Jecheon in North Chungcheong to Yeongwol in Gangwon, the route is expected to open the region to higher volumes of commercial and tourist traffic.
Tourism in the area has already shown significant growth. Tourist arrivals at Yeongwol’s Cheongryeongpo reached over 500,000 by May of this year [1]. Local data indicates that tourist numbers this year are more than double those of the previous year [1].
Regional officials said the lack of a connecting highway has historically hindered the growth of the southern Gangwon region. The new road is designed to capitalize on the rising interest in local attractions, providing a more efficient route for visitors traveling from other provinces.
Construction will proceed in segments, starting with the initial phase marked by the recent ceremony. The project represents a strategic investment in the regional infrastructure of the southern interior.
“The project carries an estimated cost of 2 trillion won”
The Jecheon-Yeongwol highway is a strategic attempt to reverse the economic stagnation of southern Gangwon. By leveraging a surge in tourism—already evident in the doubling of visitors to Cheongryeongpo—the government is betting that high-capacity infrastructure will convert temporary tourist interest into sustainable regional economic growth.
