Gangjin County in South Jeolla Province has been recognized for its innovative use of a locally developed character and self-produced digital content in the field of social media promotion among local governments nationwide.
The county's approach, which moves beyond simple administrative information to create characters based on local ecological resources and present government and tourism information in a relatable manner, has garnered attention.
On October 26, Gangjin County announced that it received the top award in the basic local government category at the '2026 Korea SNS Awards' ceremony held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.
The award reflects the county's efforts to enhance its content production capabilities through the Fourth Industrial Revolution Utilization Promotion Team and to implement SNS promotions that are easily understandable for residents and tourists.
A standout feature is the character 'Gangjin Friends,' developed directly by a county official.
Gangjin Friends is inspired by local ecological resources found in the Gangjin Bay Ecological Park, including otters, raccoons, mudskippers, crabs, and swans.
This character expresses the region's natural environment and characteristics in a friendly manner, serving as a promotional tool to convey government and tourism information while preserving Gangjin's identity.
Notably, the character development, card news planning, design, and production were all carried out by the responsible official.
The county has established a visual identity for its SNS by consistently applying design elements that align with the character and background according to the nature of the content, such as festivals, tourism, and key policies.
The county has also transformed its method of delivering administrative information.
Promotional materials that previously contained lengthy explanations have been streamlined to present essential information, such as event schedules, locations, and participation methods, in a clear sequence for residents.
Particularly, the focus has been on enhancing readability so that users checking information on smartphones can grasp key points without needing to read lengthy descriptions.
This approach has been applied to promote Gangjin County's flagship tourism policy, 'Half-Price Travel,' and the autumn tourism event, 'Gangjin Bay Dancing Reed Festival.'
Tourists are guided through essential event schedules, participation methods, and tourism information using characters and visual materials, fostering communication with SNS users through related events.
This award demonstrates that SNS promotion by local governments can go beyond mere policy announcements to develop unique local resources into content that supports tourism and revitalizes the local economy.
However, to translate online promotional success into actual increases in tourist numbers and local spending, continuous improvement of content and systematic analysis of user responses are necessary.
Gangjin County plans to expand content production utilizing Gangjin Friends and strengthen promotions that resonate with residents and tourists by incorporating their feedback.
Gangjin County Mayor Gang Jin-won stated, "This award is meaningful as it shows that the organization of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Utilization Promotion Team has led to tangible promotional results based on the creativity and expertise of our staff."
He added, "We will continue to actively communicate with residents through content that captures the charm of Gangjin Bay and strive to attract more tourists to Gangjin."
Meanwhile, Gangjin County is producing SNS content to promote local festivals, tourism, and key government policies using Gangjin Friends. The county plans to expand its promotional efforts linked to major tourism resources, such as Half-Price Travel and local festivals, while enhancing digital communication by reflecting the opinions of residents and tourists.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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