North and South Youth Bridge Opens Window to Unification
(Published September 10, 2012)

Gyeonggi City Planning Commission authorize military management plan

◇ A birds-eye-view of the North-South Youth Exchange Center ⓒ G-News Plus

A North-South Youth Exchange Center is being built near the DMZ, a monumental symbol of Korea’s divided history.

Gyeonggi Province announced on September 10 that it had summoned the city development council three days earlier to pass the military management plan (draft) for the construction of the North-South Youth Exchange Center.

As part of the central government’s project to utilize the DMZ for peaceful purposes, Gyeonggi Province, Yeoncheon County, and the Ministry of Unification signed an agreement in October of last year to develop the North-South Youth Exchange Center.

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Research Institute put together a task force with the aim of persuading the central government to build the center.

Once completed, the building will have floor space of 1,4730㎡ on a 28,3369㎡ site in the Hapsumeori area of Mapo-ri, Jeongok-eup, Yeoncheon County. The Ministry of Unification will invest KRW 52.1 billion from their North-South Exchange Support Funds. The construction work will begin next month and is scheduled for completion by August 2014.

The facility will be equipped with classrooms, laboratories, an outdoor stage area, a management center, a gym, camping grounds, forest trails, and a dormitory capable of accommodating up to 500 students.

The center will be used to teach younger generations about the DMZ and its significance in terms of national security, and will serve as avenue for bringing together young North and South Koreans, reuniting divided families, and hosting other social and cultural exchange programs.

An official working for the North-South Cooperation Department said, “The center will be built in the middle of the pristine, well-preserved area near the border. It is an investment in Korea’s future in that respect. The center is located on the outskirts, so more infrastructure such as roads to the area will be built.”

Yeoncheon County is planning to put together funds to build a 3.3km-long, 12m-wide road to the center from National Road No. 37 to Namgye-ri.

ⓒ G-News Plus News | Lim Jeong-seon | jslim123@kg21.net

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