[미리보는 인천-옹진군] 유정복 "섬 관광 활성화… 신도평화대교 5월 개통"

#IncheonNews #btvNews #SKBroadband [Anchor] Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok visited Ongjin County to discuss local issues and communicate with residents. Mayor Yoo emphasized, "Island development is Incheon's future." He announced plans to promote the "i-Bada Pass" to revitalize island tourism and expand transportation infrastructure connecting the sea and island regions. [Article Content] The "i-Bada Pass," which ushered in the era of passenger ship public transportation. The "i-Bada Pass" only costs 1,500 won for passengers riding ferry services between Incheon Port and other cities and provinces, while residents of other cities and provinces receive up to 70% of the ferry fare. The Incheon "i-Bada Pass," the first of the Treasure Island Project launched in January of last year, garnered significant attention. As of November of last year, the number of passengers using Incheon's coastal ferry services exceeded 2 million. The number of Incheon residents visiting islands through the 'Incheon I-Bada Pass' increased by 28%, from 550,000 to 700,000, while the number of residents from other cities and provinces increased by 48%, from 90,368 to 133,248. With access to the five West Sea islands, including Baengnyeong Island and Yeonpyeong Island, at the northernmost point of the West Sea, for the same price as a bus fare, demand for border island tourism is growing significantly. [Yoo Jeong-bok / Incheon Mayor] "The 'i-Bada Pass' is the most tangible and tangible measure for citizens. While Incheon City is achieving policy success through this system, this is not a problem of a single policy; it is deeply meaningful in terms of achieving balanced development through the revitalization of island regions." The bridge project to connect the islands in Bukdo-myeon is also underway. The Shindo Peace Road, scheduled for completion in May, is a 3.26km, two-lane road from the Unseo IC on Yeongjong Island in Jung-gu to Shindo-ri, Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin County. Once this road, including the Shindo Peace Bridge, is completed, people will be able to cross Shindo from Yeongjong Island without taking a ferry. Since Shindo is already connected by bridges to the city and Modo Islands, the completion of the Shindo Peace Bridge will connect the four islands—Yeongjong Island, Shindo, and Modo Island—as one. Ongjin County has requested assistance with road maintenance from Incheon City to prevent traffic congestion and safety accidents caused by the opening of the Shindo Peace Road. [Moon Kyung-bok / Ongjin County Mayor] "When Incheon residents enter and exit Shindo Island, they must pass through the Airport Expressway, but there is no access road to Incheon Bridge. There is no access road from Incheon Bridge, and they must use the adjacent road to enter and exit. This raises concerns about a design flaw." This isn't the only bridge project connecting Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin County. The Jangbong-Modo Bridge access road, connecting Modo Island across the sea to Jangbong Island, is a two-lane route, connecting Jangbong Island and Modo Island for 1.8km. Construction on the Jangbongdo-Modo Bridge in Ongjin County, currently undergoing a preliminary feasibility study, is slated to begin in 2026 and open in 2031. Once the Jangbong Bridge opens, it will connect Incheon's inland areas, Yeongjong Island, Shindo Island, Sido Island, Modo Island, and all the way to Jangbong Island. By uniting the four islands in Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin County, into a single living area, improved mobility for island residents and accessibility for tourists are expected to revitalize the local economy. [Yoo Jeong-bok / Incheon Mayor] "The Sindo Peace Bridge will open in May. From Yeongjongdo to Sindo, Sinsimodo is connected, and the future connection from Modo to Jangbongdo will proceed smoothly." During the New Year's press conference, the shortage of ferry tickets for island residents due to the increase in passengers, as well as the problems of illegal fishing and illegal dumping of trash due to the increase in tourists, were raised. Mayor Yoo announced plans to increase the number of reserve boats to alleviate inconveniences for island residents in purchasing ferry tickets and to launch the "Incheon i Sea Guardians" project to crack down on illegal harvesting of forest products and illegal dumping of trash. Ongjin County in Incheon, which encompasses the five islands of the West Sea, a security stronghold at the northernmost point of the West Sea bordering North Korea, is expected to break the 20,000-person barrier by 2024, with the elderly population reaching 35% of the total. Mayor Yoo stated that Ongjin, a region facing both the unique characteristics of an island and structural challenges, will bring about change through the expansion of transportation infrastructure and tourism revitalization. We are also pursuing improvements in settlement conditions by providing a 200,000 won settlement subsidy to residents who have lived on the five...