The national government has selected the oldest part of Jeju City as the site for a state-sponsored urban renewal project. Twenty billion won will be poured into the development over five years, beginning this year. Joseph Kim reports.

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Old part of Jeju City chosen for national urban renewal project

The Jeju Fortress area had been the center of Jeju City until the 1980s. But streets near the fortress have been empty over the last two decades.

The oldest part of Jeju City was chosen as the site for a nationally-funded urban renewal project.

INTERVIEW
Kim Yang-hun / Provincial dept. of urban renewal
Villages were formed near the Jeju Fortress during the Tamna kingdom era. The site has a variety of historical and cultural assets. We applied for the national urban renewal project funding to preserve the assets.
<인터뷰: 김양훈/ 道 도시재생담당>
"원도심은 탐라시대 때부터 마을이 형성돼서 역사, 문화가 많습니다. 그러한 부분들을 기반으로 해서 도시재생활성화를 신청하게 됐습니다."

The island will spend 10 billion won of local funding and another 10 billion won of state funding for the project over the next five years.


New sidewalks from (관덕로) Gwandeok-ro road to (동문로) Dongmun-ro road will be paved and a kids’ library is being planned under the sub-project name of Kids Huddle Together.

The project has another 18 sub-projects including park construction and sidewalk repairs along the (탑동) Tapdong coast.


Specialists say balance between development and preservation is needed because the area has many cultural and historical landmarks.

They added that residents' participation is essential for success.

INTERVIEW
Kim Tae-il / Professor, Jeju National University
The project requires public participation. When residents add their voices and concerns to the initiative, we will find healthy and sustainable ways to reinvigorate the area.
<인터뷰: 김태일/ 제주대학교 건축학과 교수>
"지역주민들이 어떤 식으로 주체가 돼서 자기 삶의 역사를 원도심이라는 공간 속에 잘 엮어서 풀어나가느냐는 운영방법, 추진방법이 굉장히
*수퍼체인지*
중요한 핵심적인 과제가 아닐까 생각합니다."

Area residents also have expectations of both preservation and development through the project.

INTERVIEW
Go Yeong-rim / Geonip-dong, Jeju City
The island should discard the style of development popular in the 1970s and 1980s, when old things were just removed for new ones. I hope the new project will draw attention to the unique historical value of the area.
<인터뷰: 고영림/ 제주시 건입동>
"1970~80년대처럼 기존의 것을 부수고 새로운 것을 만드는 재생, 발전, 개발이 아니라 역사성을 존중하면서 제주 원도심만이 갖고 있는 매력,
*수퍼체인지*
가치를 최대한 살리면서..."

[camera]
Moon Ho-seong

The province has tried several projects to renew Jeju City’s old downtown areas but without much success.

[REPORTER]
Joseph Kim

Islanders hope the five-year project will bring positive results and look forward to seeing the new look of the area in 2020.

Joseph Kim KCTV