[Anchor]

The east coast of Gyeongsangbuk-do is transforming from a traditional summer getaway into a year-round, future-oriented marine tourism hub. Pohang has decided to invest over 1 trillion won to develop the Yeongilman area into a complex marine tourism city, while Gyeongju is also building a marine leisure hub in the Gampo-eup area.

TBC reporter Yang Byung-woon has the details.

[Reporter]

Despite the intense midday summer heat, lines of people steadily climb the curved iron staircase.

Most visitors to Space Walk, the nation's largest interactive art installation created and donated by POSCO, are from outside the region, alongside a noticeable number of foreign tourists.

[Cho Chun-kan / Tourist from Taiwan: It is a unique scenery and a beautiful place, so I feel happy. When I go back to Taiwan, I will recommend this place to the people around me.]

Since its opening in November 2021 until last month, cumulative visitors have reached approximately 4.08 million, averaging over 900,000 visitors a year.

This is the main reason why the city of Pohang aims to foster the 2.4-million-square-meter Yeongilman Tourism Special Zone, including the Hwanho District where Space Walk is located, into a marine leisure tourism city.

After being selected as a candidate site for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' "complex marine leisure tourism city" project last year, the city finalized its master plan following reviews by experts.

Along the coastal axis connecting Hwanho Park, Yeongildae, and Songdo, luxury hotels, a complex marina, and a marine sports training center will be established to build a stay-type tourism infrastructure where tourists can linger throughout the four seasons.

A total of 1.3 trillion won from both private capital and government budgets is scheduled to be injected by 2034. Private facilities within Hwanho Park have already been established, and an agreement has been signed to build a luxury hotel on the site of Yeongildae Beach.

[Park Yong-sun / Mayor of Pohang: We will now shape Pohang's ocean so that people can enjoy marine leisure sports and all kinds of tourism in one place.]

Gyeongju is also investing 49 billion won in the area of Najeong-ri, Gampo-eup, to construct marine leisure tourism facilities including a four-season leisure experience center and a marine sculpture park.

Construction is set to begin in October this year, and upon completion in 2028, it is expected to inject new vitality into the relatively underdeveloped areas of Gampo and Munmudaewang-myeon.

(Video by Go Dae-seung / TBC)

Yang Byung-woon, TBC