Camp Greaves becomes a DMZ tourist spot!
Createdd 2012-12-18 Hit 567
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Camp Greaves becomes a DMZ tourist spot!
(Published November 13, 2012)
Governor Kim Moon-soo promises to make Camp Greaves a world tourist spot by preserving and remodeling it.
◇ Governor Kim Moon-soo presiding over an executive meeting on November 13th at Camp Greaves, a former US military base located in Paju. ⓒ G-News Plus / Yu Je-hun
Camp Greaves, a former US army compound located in the Civilian Control Line, will be transformed into a ‘national security experience’ facility.
Governor of Gyeonggi Province Kim Moon-soo presided over an executive meeting at Camp Greaves, a US military compound that was recently returned to Korea, on the morning of the 13th, and decided to use the camp as a ‘security experience’ tourist attraction.
Governor Kim held an executive meeting with Hwang Jin-ha, a member of the National Assembly, Paju’s Mayor Lee In-jae, and other related officials at the officials’ club to discuss potential ways of using Camp Greaves.
During the meeting, they reviewed the possibility of using the camp as a tourist spot by remodeling the camp while preserving its original form as much as possible and by building accommodation facilities for visitors to Panmunjeom.
Camp Greaves, a former US military compound, is the only facility located in the Civilian Control Line. It was used to assist the safeguarding of Panmunjeom JSA for over fifty years. It comprises accommodation and recreational facilities which were used by the US military.
◇ Governor Kim listening to a briefing while looking at a map of Camp Greaves. ⓒ G-News Plus / Yu Je-hun
After looking around Camp Greaves and learning that it had not been in use for the ten years since the US military’s departure, Governor Kim said, “It is regrettable that this facility has not been put to good purpose for the past ten years.” adding, “If we remodeled the facilities, they would serve as an excellent accommodation facility.”
At present, the number of foreigners visiting Panmunjeom is increasing steadily. In particular, many Chinese people wish to visit the graves of Chinese soldiers who were killed during the Korean War, so if Camp Greaves is remodeled into comfortable tourist accommodation facilities, it could attract many tourists from overseas.
President of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization Hwang Jun-ki presented plans for developing Camp Greaves and the Dorasan Peace Park and for improving the contents of the Imjingak Pyeonghoa-Nuri, which are representative security tourist sites, under the title of ‘Strategies for transforming Camp Greaves into a tourist spot in northern Gyeonggi Province.’
Director of the Korea Cultural Heritage Policy Research Center Hwang Pyeong-u asserted that the area around Camp Greaves has had great cultural value since the Goguryeo Period, and went on to explain the environmental and ecological value of Camp Greaves, as well as its modern heritage value.
Most of the facilities within Camp Greaves are more than fifty years old, while the barracks, gyms, and auditorium are almost sixty years old. Given that buildings with a history of fifty years or more can be registered as modern cultural heritages, these buildings, which were built by the US during the Cold War era and are the only ones remaining from that period, may be regarded as rare cultural heritages.
Director Hwang asserted that Camp Greaves should be investigated in terms of its archeology, history, and ecology before making any changes. He also suggested that the principle of the historical, cultural, and ecological use of the camp should be prioritized for sustainable development, taking as an example the construction of the DMZ Eco-Museum.
They also discussed the possibility of using part of the camp as an exhibition hall for art works such as installation art, and the history of the US Military stationed in Korea.
◇ Governor Kim looking at a scenic view at Camp Greaves. ⓒ G-News Plus / Yu Je-hun
Lieutenant Major Kim I-ho said, “National security is indispensable to Korean citizens.” adding, “If we can use Camp Greaves as a national security experience site, it could serve as an excellent example of a combined civil, government, and military collaboration project. This site could become a world-famous security experience tourist site.”
Governor Kim said, “Although next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the armistice agreement, the central government seems to be uninterested in this meaningful year because of the presidential election”. He added, “Gyeonggi Province is preparing various commemorative events related to this anniversary year”.
He continued, “Camp Greaves has a special meaning in that it has the most beautiful scenic view of all the US military compounds returned to Korea, and is located in the northernmost area of the Civilian Control Line”. He added, “We will find a way to use other returned compounds with local residents in ways that are appropriate to the characteristics of each region”.
Gyeonggi Province will conduct twenty-eight projects in four categories in the vicinity of the Panmunjeom on or around July 27, 2013 to celebrate the peace agreement and the 60th anniversary of the DMZ.
ⓒ G-News Plus News| Lee Jun-gyun eyekle0723@kg21.net
http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201211131745007055C048&s_code=C048
