Comprehensive Construction Plan for Pyongwha Highway

Construction of the `International Tour Free Zone`, which connects Mt. Suhrak to Mt. Keumgang, North Korea, is to be pushed forward. In preparation for the full-scale South-North exchange, the government also plans to improve the west-east highway from Kangwha-Kun, Inchon of west to Whajin-Po, Kosung-Kun, Kangwon of east to become `Pyongwha (peace) Tour Highway`.

The government announced yesterday that it confirmed `the 3rd comprehensive construction plan on province `, which will invest 560.6 trillion won for the next 20 years to the construction of the pyongwha highway and other constructions in 7 provinces.

According to the plan, Kangwon Province plans to construct `Pyongwha Tour Highway` that connects 295 kilometers of west-east line, including the improvement of the national highway, local highways, and cities-counties 10-15 kilometers south of the Southern Limiting Line, and the new establishment of some of sections. Moreover, development of 7 zones, including Hanminjok Pyongwha zone, International Tour Free Zone (Suhrak to Keumgang), is also to be carried out. The government also plans to restore the national highways, including Highway 3, which connects Chulwon to Pyongkang, Highway 5 (Whachun-Pyongkang), Highway 7 (Gansung-Jangjun) and Highway 31 (Yangku-Baikhyunli), and the disconnected roads and railways between South and North, such as Kyungwon Line and Mt. Keumgang Line.

The government plans to develop Chungbuk as the center of the inland new industry, where history, culture, and pro-environment co-exist, and Chungnam as the center of the pan-Yellow Sea exchange in preparation for the exchange cooperation with China. Chunbuk is to be developed as the base of the international transit trade along with the traditional cultural tour business, and Chunnam as the center of the ocean tour aiming at `2010 Yosu EXPO`.

Kyungnam will be developed as the leading zone of the ocean tour business centering around Hanryo Sea and the advanced machine industry, and Kyungbuk as the center of the pan-East Sea advanced industry as well as the culture.

As City Basic Plan, Metropolitan City Improvement Plan, and Jeju Island Comprehensive Development Plan were planned for Seoul City and 6 megalopolises, for Kyunggi Province, and for Jeju Island respectively, these areas were excluded from the `comprehensive construction plan`.

`The 3rd comprehensive construction plan on province` is to be readjusted every five years, and 324.2 trillion won of the national expenditure, 90.6 trillion won of the local expenditure, and 145.7 trillion won of the private funds will be invested.

Koo Ja-Ryong bonhong@donga.com