Hello, my name is Bina (Chae-eun).
My nickname comes from my baptismal name, Lidwina.
I was born in Jinhae and have since lived in Changwon, Gimhae, Incheon, and Aichi in Japan. I was born in Jinhae, which was later incorporated into the larger city of Changwon. I then attended high school in Gimhae. Since I lived in a dormitory, I did not have many opportunities to learn about the local characteristics of Gimhae firsthand. However, I learned a great deal about the history of Gimhae while studying the Gaya civilization at school. I moved to Incheon when I entered university, and I am still staying in Incheon because I am taking some second-year courses. Last year, I also spent a year abroad as an exchange student in Aichi in Japan, which gave me the experience of living overseas for a year.
The place where I have the most memories is my hometown, Jinhae. I attended elementary and middle school in Jinhae, and through field trips, I had many opportunities to learn about the area. At the time, I thought of these activities simply as picnics, but as I grew older and revisited these places, I came to realize that they were actually a form of social studies education. I was able to visit museums in person, and since some people who had actually lived through that period worked as docents, I was able to hear their stories and experience history in a much more vivid way.
Interestingly, Jinhae also has historical connections with Aichi, the Japanese region where I studied abroad. During the Imjin War, Japanese forces took potters from Jinhae to Japan, and they were brought to the area around what is now Nagoya Castle, one of the representative landmarks of Aichi. In addition, present-day Jinhae was developed as a planned city by Imperial Japan as an important naval base. While studying in Japan, I was able to share these historical connections with students during social studies classes. Through this experience, I was also able to learn about the importance of localized education, which connects what students learn in class to the history and characteristics of their own local communities.
HOPE Activity
H – Home
I would like to introduce my hometown, Jinhae. Jinhae is part of Changwon, which is located relatively close to Busan, and it is a small port city that has developed around a major Republic of Korea Navy base. Because the Navy has had an important base in Jinhae for a long time, naval history and culture are important parts of the city.
Jinhae also has a Modern History Street, where buildings and traces of the city from the Japanese colonial period remain. This allows visitors to see and experience parts of Jinhae's modern history. In spring, the city holds the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, one of Korea's well-known cherry blossom festivals, and many tourists visit Jinhae from all over the country. Gyeonghwa Station, Yeojwacheon Romance Bridge, Jinhaeru, and the area around Jehwangsan Park and Jungwon Rotary are some of the most popular places during the festival.
Jinhae is also expected to change in the future. The development of Jinhae New Port is expected to expand the port and logistics functions in the area. Therefore, transportation networks connecting Jinhae with Changwon and Masan, as well as transportation networks connecting different parts of Jinhae, will become increasingly important.
O – Overview
Although Jinhae is now part of Changwon, it is geographically connected to Changwon and Masan, and people travel between these areas for work, education, shopping, and other activities. Within Jinhae, different neighborhoods are also connected by roads and public transportation, forming one larger living area. There are several bus routes connecting the former Changwon area with Jinhae and the former Masan area with Jinhae, as well as roads connecting these areas.
Every year, many tourists visit Jinhae during the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival. However, it can be difficult for visitors to travel conveniently along one connected route between major attractions such as Jehwangsan Park, Jungwon Rotary, the Modern History Street, Gyeonghwa Station, Yeojwacheon Romance Bridge, and Jinhaeru.
For example, after arriving in central Jinhae, tourists may want to visit the Modern History Street, Gyeonghwa Station, Yeojwacheon Romance Bridge, and Jinhaeru one after another. However, they may need to walk between the different locations or use buses or cars. There is not enough integrated transportation information that allows tourists to easily understand how these attractions are connected.
Another important issue is the connection between central Jinhae and areas such as Ungcheon, Nammun, and Myeong-dong. In particular, Ungcheon has tourist and leisure attractions such as Jinhae Marine Park. As the development of Busan New Port continues, the movement of people and goods may also increase in the future. Therefore, we need to think about a transportation network that considers not only the current situation but also the future movement of residents, tourists, and goods.
P – Plan
Our goal is to create a connected transportation network for Jinhae without constructing many new roads. Instead, we want to make better use of existing roads, bus routes, and pedestrian paths so that tourists and residents can move more conveniently between important places.
First, we propose a tourist loop route connecting Jehwangsan Park and Jungwon Rotary → the Modern History Street → Gyeonghwa Station → Yeojwacheon Romance Bridge → Jinhaeru. During the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, signs and maps could be placed at major locations to show visitors how to move between the attractions. Public transportation information could also be provided in one easy-to-understand map.
We especially want to encourage environmentally friendly transportation, such as buses, walking, and bicycles, instead of relying mainly on cars. For example, tourists could take a bus to central Jinhae and then walk or ride bicycles between nearby attractions. Bicycle rental stations and bicycle parking areas could also be provided at suitable locations.
We also want to connect more than just the major tourist attractions. We would like to develop a larger network connecting central Jinhae with Ungcheon, Nammun, and Myeong-dong. Tourist attractions such as Jinhae Marine Park could be connected to the existing tourist routes. We would also consider the possible increase in traffic and movement caused by the future development of Busan New Port.
Rather than simply building new roads, our main goal is to find key connection points where existing and newly developed roads, public transportation, pedestrian paths, and tourist routes can meet. By connecting these important points, we hope to create a more convenient and environmentally friendly transportation network for both residents and visitors.
Ultimately, our idea is to make Jinhae a place where people can easily travel between its naval history, modern historical sites, cherry blossom attractions, coastal areas, and future port facilities without depending too much on cars.
