Pohang Mayor Park elected inaugural chair of UNESCO Global Geoparks Administrative Council

Pohang Mayor Park Yong-seon has been elected inaugural chair of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Administrative Council.

The council held its founding general assembly Tuesday at Sono Belle Danyang in Danyang-gun, North Chungcheong Province, where it adopted its bylaws and elected Park as its first chair.

The council plans to establish operational standards for UNESCO Global Geoparks, submit joint recommendations to the government on relevant legal and institutional reforms, secure funding and specialized personnel, identify joint projects in tourism and education, and expand exchanges with geoparks at home and abroad.

"As inaugural chair, I will bring together the capabilities of 11 local governments across the country — including Pohang, Gyeongju, Yeongdeok and Uljin — to swiftly build the legal and institutional foundation needed for the sustainable development of UNESCO Global Geoparks," Park said. "We will not stop at preserving outstanding geological heritage but will run the council responsibly so that it can become a new engine of regional growth."