Gangwon Province seeks national garden upgrade amid sharply reduced watershed funding

Provincial lawmakers in Gangwon are pressing for the Chuncheon Lake Local Garden project, funded with 1.4 billion won, to serve as a stepping stone toward designation as a national garden. They called for a long‑term operation plan and the creation of a tourism circuit linking the garden with Chuncheon Station, a nearby LEGO Land, the historic downtown, and other local attractions to boost the regional economy.

At the same time, legislators warned that the Han River watershed fund has slashed from 237 billion won in 2023 to an expected 67 billion won next year, putting nine provincial projects at risk of cancellation. They urged the government to secure alternative financing, reform water‑use fee structures and improve fund‑allocation rules to prevent further disruption of water‑quality and resident‑support programs.