On the 18th, the Saemangeum Development Agency (Director Kim Ui-gyeom) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the 'Inter-regional Connecting Road' at the Gunsan Saemangeum Convention Center.

The inter-regional connecting road is a total length of 20.37km, with six lanes in both directions, connecting National Route 12 (east-west axis 2) through the central area of Saemangeum (tourism, leisure, agriculture, life sciences, and integrated development) to National Route 30 (east-west axis 3) entering Saemangeum.

With a total project cost of 1.133 trillion won, this large-scale road construction project aims to form a circular road network centered around integrated development sites, enhancing connectivity within the region and dispersing traffic from the currently operational east-west and north-south main road networks.

Furthermore, it is planned to be integrated with major national infrastructure such as the Saemangeum New Port, International Airport, and inbound railway, with a target completion date set for 2030.

Upon the completion of the inter-regional connecting road, significant improvements are expected in the internal transportation system of Saemangeum, enhancing accessibility between central areas and increasing travel efficiency.

Overall access within Saemangeum is expected to improve by 5.9%, reducing travel time between central areas (zones 2 and 3) by 23.6%. The travel time between transportation and cultural facilities, industrial complexes, and tourism and leisure sites is also anticipated to be reduced by an average of 31-35%.

Moreover, the inter-regional connecting road is expected to significantly contribute to regional balanced development through job creation and economic activation in the surrounding areas of Saemangeum.

It is estimated that the direct employment effect during the construction period will induce employment for approximately 9,000 people and create employment for about 7,000 people, resulting in a total employment effect of around 16,000 people. Improving accessibility to tourism and leisure sites is expected to attract 370,000 tourists annually, contributing greatly to tourism activation.

The inter-regional connecting road is planned to be designed with a specialized design reflecting the surrounding landscape and the identity of Saemangeum, becoming a new landmark road. It will feature a unique landmark large bridge with a world-class and domestically unique longitudinal circular pagoda (55m in diameter) and rest areas for users of the circular ring road.

Additionally, an arch bridge designed to resemble a beautiful sunset and an observatory providing a resting space for road users to enjoy the sunset scenery will be installed.

Director Kim Ui-gyeom of the Saemangeum Development Agency stated, "The inter-regional connecting road is a core road that closely connects key spaces in Saemangeum," and expressed, "We will proceed with the project smoothly through safe and high-quality construction."