The number of South Korean mines that have closed as of early December 2009 has reached 1692, leaving many former mine towns to revive their economies through a variety of means.

Macha, one former coal mining town, is considered a lucky case because the Gangwon Provincial Government has invested 12.5 billion Won (10 million dollars) for the construction of a cultural village commemorating the old mine. As of October, tourists can visit a groggery, a small miner’s store, miners’ residencies with slate roofs, a hwatu or gambling house, and take a commuter bus to the mine.

The Macha Coal Mine was one of the first that was opened during the colonial period in 1935. The population of the village reached its peak of 60 thousand during the 1960s. Former miner, Sin Dae-sik, now 68-years-old, says, “The Macha mining town was so wealthy at the time that it had three expensive saloons and its own theater.” He also recalled, “It was said that a Macha resident could get the fashions being set in Myung-dong within just three days.”

Since the 1970s, the economy of mining towns in South Korea has been on the decline as oil and electricity has come to replace coal. The Macha Coal Mine was closed in 1973, and now only an estimated 2200 residents remain. The local government is trying hard to find a way to revive what is now a small village economy.

Like the Macha case, Jeongsun County of Gangwon Province is attempting to revive the region by commemorating the history of the Hambaek Coal Mine, and funding for public art has been used to help contribute to the establishment of a mining museum in Sabuk and a festival in Gohan. Other villages with closed mines are attempting to construct a mining park, draw a hub plant, and create golf courses and celebrations to draw in tourists.

The Korean Coal Corporation (KOCOAL) intends to reduce its coal mine production from 1.3 million tons in 2009 to 1.13 million tons next year. Its plan would further reduce the number of miners at a time when many villages with closed mines remain uncertain about their economic futures.

Members of civil society are also worried about these attempts to rehabilitate the culture and economy of these former mining towns. Choi Ye-yong, researcher of the Citizens’ Institute for Environmental Studies, said, “More research on the actual environmental conditions of the closed mines are needed in order to create more comprehensive measures.” He added, “Creating a revitalization project for closed mine should be done in accordance with residents’ interests, and there should be more research into alternatives for how the local government could draw in outside capital.”

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