The government announced plans Monday to transform Seoul’s Yongsan 2ga-dong, better known by the expatriate community as Haebangchon or HBC, into a “Green Culture Village,” where nature will blend with the region’s unique culture.

A total of 38 billion won ($33 million) will be invested by the government to build a food street and a strolling path along Mount Namsan for culture and history tours that include a walk through a sweater factory that once was the economic motor of HBC between 1960 and 1980. 

Including HBC, a total of 33 areas across Korea were selected for the special government-sponsorship to revamp and revive the sluggish local economy.

Nine regions including Jejudo, Busan’s Yeongdo-gu, Gyeongnam’s Gimhae and Ulsan’s Junggu will be given 10 billion won, while 19 regions including Seoul’s Yongsan-gu and Guro-gu, Busan’s Gangseo-gu and Daegu’s Seo-gu will be given 5 billion won, all over a five-year period.

Jejudo plans to resurrect the 910,000 square-meter area of Il-do 1-dong, Ido 1-dong, Samdo 2-dong and Geonip-dong which used to be the city’s busiest center up to 1970s.

Busan will run programs that include visits to the city’s major factories where the region’s specialty fish cakes and tofu are made, in an attempt to revive the local economy.

Gimhae will create a World Noodle Village and a World Culture Night Market to boost tourism in the city.

Ulsan will build a creative multiplex on the site of Jung-bu Fire Station.

These plans were devised by the 6th Urban Revival Special Committee overseen by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)