[Anchor Lead]
A special tourism zone in Dongducheon has been hit hard by the relocation of U.S. forces away from the city. But the area is regaining vitality with the arrival of crafts workshops. Let's find out more.
[Pkg]
A special foreign tourist zone in Dongducheon City's Bosan-dong neighborhood was able to thrive thanks the business generated by some 20,000 U.S. military personnel. However, following the drop in the number of soldiers due to the U.S. forces relocation project in 2004, visitors are rare and shops have closed. Amid the deserted atmosphere of the streets, craft workshops have begun to open one after another. Park Shin-woo moved her workshop from Seoul to this location three months ago. She produces woodcraft items and offers classes for the general public. Park's move to Bosan-dong was motivated by assistance from the Dongducheon city government. It's part of a design and art village project, in which empty stores are purchased to create a street of crafts workshops. A total of nearly six million U.S. dollars have been invested to attract workshops for various crafts from woodwork to leather crafting, pottery and metalwork. Six 3D printers were also purchased to assist the participants. The workshops that have moved in are looking forward to collaborative synergy.
[Soundbite] Kook Kyung-hee(Leathercraft Shop Owner) : "Fine work can be produced through collaboration, thanks to the gathering of like-minded crafts experts."
With the opening of craft shops in increasingly empty store spaces, expectations are growing among local merchants as well.
[Soundbite] Goh Jong-bin(Association of Bosan-dong Merchants) : "The number of stores has dropped from 300 in the past to the current 154. Many people are visiting now, following the launch of the craft shop street."
The Dongducheon city government plans to establish a design art valley support center this year with the goal of increasing the number of craft shops to 60 by 2020.
