Forestry Agency initiates inter-agency task force meeting for 'Vitalizing rural villages with the East-West Trail'

(Daejeon = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Jun-ho = The Korea Forest Service announced on the 6th that it held the kick-off meeting for the 'Inter-Ministerial Task Force for Revitalizing Agriculture and Mountainous Villages Utilizing the East-West Trail' at the Korea Mountainous Forest Technology Association in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province on the 6th. The meeting was held to respond to the extinction crisis in the agricultural and mountainous villages through which the East-West Trail passes and to revitalize the local economy ahead of the full opening of the trail next year. The meeting was attended by the Korea Forest Service, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the five provinces and cities (Daejeon, Sejong, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, North Gyeongsang) through which the trail passes, and private sector experts. They discussed discovering a regional revitalization model based on the 90 hub villages near the 849 km East-West Trail by linking it with rural experience and tourism resources, and creating synergy through inter-ministerial policy and budget linkages. The East-West Trail, which connects the east and west of the country, is a long-distance trail of 849 km, connecting 55 sections, 21 cities, counties, and districts through five provinces and cities from Ulju County, North Gyeongsang Province to Taean County, South Chungcheong Province. Completion of construction is scheduled for this year, with the goal of full opening by 2027. The Korea Forest Service is accelerating the final stages, including the official establishment of a mobile app, improvement of the guidance system, strengthening of safety management, and supplementation of regional linkage programs. Acting Director of the Forest Welfare Bureau at the Korea Forest Service, Choi Seo-hee, said, "The East-West Trail will become a lifeline that connects regions and people beyond being just a forest trail," and "We will create a successful model that provides real help to agriculture and mountainous villages by uniting ministries, local governments, and the private sector."