The East Coast Mutual Prosperity Council, a cooperative body representing six municipalities along Gangwon Province's eastern coast from Goseong to Samcheok, said it has named Samcheok Mayor Park Sang-su as its new chair.
According to the council, Park will lead the administrative body — which brings together the six coastal cities and counties of Samcheok, Donghae, Gangneung, Yangyang, Sokcho and Goseong — guiding joint development and cooperative initiatives across the region.
The heads of all six local governments gathered at Gangneung City Hall on Wednesday to formally designate the Samcheok mayor as the next chair and agreed to strengthen their cooperative framework for the sustainable development of the East Coast region and deeper inter-municipal collaboration.
Shared challenges facing the East Coast region have been growing, including railway and road infrastructure development, joint use of tourism and marine resources, responses to regional depopulation, and the promotion of energy transition and new industries — all of which have made inter-municipal cooperation increasingly important.
As chair, Park plans to link the distinct characteristics and strengths of each municipality, elevate individual local issues into shared East Coast priorities, and jointly petition the central government and relevant agencies to produce tangible results.
The council said it will particularly strengthen joint responses to projects requiring a regional approach — expanding the East Coast rail network and expressways, boosting logistics and tourism competitiveness, fostering future industries such as energy and hydrogen, and promoting the shared use of marine and tourism resources.
"The East Coast region can generate greater growth momentum by connecting the resources and competitive strengths each area possesses," Park said. "Based on close communication and cooperation among member municipalities, I will actively identify joint projects that go beyond individual local issues and drive the development of the entire East Coast region, and ensure they translate into real outcomes by linking them to government policy."
He added that he would further strengthen a cooperative framework in which all six municipalities speak with one voice, so that the East Coast region can establish itself as a new growth axis for South Korea.
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