■ Jeonbuk leading tectonic shift in tourist roads

a​In 2025, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport introduced the “Designation System for Tourist Roads” (the system), setting a new paradigm promoting the convergence of transportation and tourism by utilizing roads as tourism resources rather than simple travel paths. Rich in landscapes and cultural assets, Jeonbuk State should develop a proactive model, in which it revitalizes its local economies and tourism through effective road branding strategies such as smart complex shelters and locally tailored roads

① Stepping up efforts to leverage system’s legality 

● In accordance with Article 48-2 of the Road Act (amended in October 2023), the Road Management Authorities are allowed to designate road segments under their management with remarkable landscapes, history, and cultural assets as tourist roads. The designation comes with various incentives such as tourist road signs and additional points for smart shelters. Jeonbuk must proactively take advantage of the early stage of system implementation by identifying candidate routes and developing relevant management plans. 

② Identifying Jeonbuk-specific candidate routes and formulating evaluation strategies

● Targeting diverse routes (e.g., Sunset Coastal Drive connecting Saemangeum, Gogunsan Islands, Byeonsan, and Gomso coastal areas; Peace Pilgrimage Drive from Jeonju to Wibongsansung County Park; and Okjeongho Lake Romantic Road connecting Imsil and Jeongeup), Jeonbuk State must assess and prioritize the factors of landscape, culture, accessibility, and balanced development. In this way, it can systematize city–county collaborative management plans 

③ Constructing tourism hubs linked to smart complex shelters

● Simultaneously pursuing the designation of tourist roads and smart complex shelters through public contest, Jeonbuk should create tourism hubs featuring AR/VR guidance, local specialty sales, local food cafes, and eco-friendly transportation facilities. Additionally, it must introduce energy self-reliance models focused on solar power, ESS, and electric vehicle charging to secure sustainability and synergistically combine such models with profit models driven by local residents’ participation

④ Branding, promotion, and establishing data-centered operating systems 

● Jeonbuk is advised to develop integrated brands like Jeonbuk Scenic Drive and strengthen its domestic and international presence through dedicated road signs, SNS challenges, and broadcast-linked promotion. Furthermore, in conjunction with the tourism road information systems, it must establish data-centered management systems to analyze traffic volume, tourism consumption, and environmental indicators in real time.

⑤ Achieving balanced development and establishing resident participation models 

● Jeonbuk needs to designate tourist roads for its underdeveloped and depopulated areas to maximize the effect of balanced development and establish resident council-based operating systems where local residents directly participate in travel products, experiential programs, and environmental maintenance

● DOWNLOAD REPORT (PDF, Korean)​