Buan-gun Hosts ‘Global Geopark Promotion and Experience Booth’ at Buan Science Festival

Buan-gun announced that it successfully operated a promotional and hands-on experience booth for the Jeonbuk West Coast Geopark at the “2026 Buan Science Festival,” held on the 13th at the Buan Dong Elementary School gymnasium.

At this year’s festival, Buan-gun showcased distinctive, interactive content that fused “Chaeseokgang Cliffs,” a flagship UNESCO Global Geopark site, with “Gomso Salt Pond,” a representative local cultural resource. The booth caught the attention of many by breaking down geological theories—which can often feel dry and complex—into easy and fun concepts tailored to young students.

In particular, the “Natural Salt Dehumidifier Making” program received an enthusiastic response from both students and parents, with all prepared materials running out early. The program allowed participants to learn about the structural and mineral characteristics of salt crystals using the salt pond, while also understanding stratification and sedimentary rocks through the formation process of Chaeseokgang Cliffs.

Currently, the Jeonbuk West Coast Geopark is accelerating its efforts to vitalize “Geo-education” for future generations. The county is continuously running curriculum-linked learning programs with local schools, including Wido Middle School and Buan High School. Additionally, it organizes annual field learning programs in partnership with geology departments from major universities, such as Chonbuk National University, Chonnam National University, and Chosun University.

Notably, having been selected for the “2026 Geo-Dream” project—a geopark education support initiative—Buan-gun is expanding the horizons of geological education this year. The county is actively promoting the “We Do It! Wido Geo-STEAM” program, a creative convergence education initiative that capitalizes on the unique geographical features of the island area.

A student who participated in the festival shared, “Geological terms in textbooks always felt difficult. But after hearing that the stripes on the Chaeseokgang cliffs act like ‘Earth’s diary,’ revealing the planet’s climate and volcanic activity from 70 million years ago, I started seeing the rocks in our neighborhood in a whole new light.”

A Buan-gun official stated, “The core value of a Global Geopark lies not just in preserving geological resources, but in sharing that value with local residents and future generations of students so we can thrive together.” They added, “Moving forward, we will continue to leverage Buan’s unique geological assets, such as Chaeseokgang Cliffs and Gomso Salt Pond, to expand sustainable education and tourism programs that young people can truly connect with.”