Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young visited Chuncheon in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province on Friday to meet with Governor Woo Sang-ho and discuss ways to advance the province's culture and tourism sectors.
The visit was aimed at hearing directly from local communities about culture, sports and tourism, and at strengthening cooperation between the central and provincial governments to develop more effective policy.
During the meeting, Choi outlined the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's policy priorities — including the "Dream Arts Troupe" initiative, the "Culture Day" program and expanded support for independent music — and pledged that the central government would provide firm backing for locally driven policies.
Governor Woo asked for the central government's close attention and cooperation on key provincial issues, including revitalizing regional tourism, improving living conditions through culture, and developing a mixed-use cultural hub on the site of the former Wonju livestock breeding station.
Both sides agreed to share a broad range of local issues and policy challenges, and to continue close working-level consultations going forward.
After the meeting, Choi visited the Chuncheon National Museum, where he inspected the management of cooling facilities and outdoor amenities amid the ongoing heat wave and called on staff to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for visitors.
He also reviewed working conditions for outdoor staff, checking measures to prevent heat-related illness, and encouraged those on site.
Choi also toured signature exhibitions at the Chuncheon National Museum — including "Five Hundred Nahan of Changnyeongsa Temple Site, A Path to Myself" and "Geumgangsan and the Eight Scenic Views of Gwandong" — and urged the museum to continue developing distinctive, locally rooted exhibitions that reflect the region's character.
He then visited the Bandabi National Sports Center in Chuncheon, an inclusive facility used by people with and without disabilities, to review its operations and user environment. Choi toured the center in person and emphasized the importance of sports facilities that promote greater participation in everyday physical activity among people with disabilities and contribute to community integration.
He also exchanged views with staff and users on ways to improve convenience and expand programming, and pledged continued efforts to build a disability-friendly sports environment that everyone can use safely and comfortably.
"In line with an era of balanced regional development — where local governments lead and the central government supports — we will spare no effort to ensure that each region's unique cultural values become a source of competitiveness for the nation as a whole," Choi said. "I plan to visit other regions as well, listen closely to voices on the ground, and actively reflect what I hear in policy, so that people can feel a real difference in their lives."
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