Yeongyang-gun selected as South Korea's candidate for 4th Ramsar Wetland City certification

Yeongyang-gun in North Gyeongsang Province has been selected as South Korea's domestic candidate in the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy's evaluation for the fourth round of Ramsar Wetland City certification, the county announced Sunday.

The Ramsar Wetland City certification program recognizes cities that exemplify wetland conservation and wise use in line with the principles of the Ramsar Convention.

Yeongyang-gun recently applied to the government to designate the entire county — centered on Janggumaegi Wetland, a nationally protected wetland area — as a Ramsar Wetland City.

The county received high marks for presenting an eco-city model that builds on the outstanding ecological value of Janggumaegi Wetland and integrates it with the region's ecological and cultural resources.

With this selection, Yeongyang-gun plans to promote eco-tourism by linking the county's key ecological tourism assets, while also raising the brand value and market competitiveness of local agricultural and specialty products to drive sustainable regional development that residents can tangibly feel.

"We will do our utmost to strengthen community-led ecological conservation efforts and achieve official Ramsar Wetland City certification at the 2028 Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention," Yeongyang-gun Mayor Oh Do-chang said.