Gwangju-Jeonnam Innovation City Has the Lowest Nationwide Relocation Rate

Number of University Graduates at 'Highest' Level, Regional Mandatory Employment Below 'Average'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Gwangju-Jeonnam Innovation City ranks last nationwide in actual resident registration population compared to the planned population, and its mandatory local talent employment rate is also below the national average.

On the 27th, Cho O-seop, a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea (Gwangju Bukgap), revealed that despite Gwangju-Jeonnam Innovation City having significantly more universities and university graduates than other cities and provinces, it does not even have a Local Talent Employment Council, which most other cities and provinces operate.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Representative Cho, as of the end of June 2020, among the planned resident registration population of 267,869 in innovation cities nationwide, the actual resident registration population who moved in was 213,817, or 79.8%.

In contrast, Gwangju-Jeonnam Innovation City had a planned population of 49,499, but the actual resident registration population was 33,525, resulting in a move-in rate of only 67.7%, ranking last nationwide.

Busan (107.1%) was the only innovation city to exceed its planned resident registration population, while Ulsan (95.5%), Gangwon (94.3%), Jeonbuk (92.9%), Jeju (91.9%), Gyeongbuk (83.2%), and Daegu (82.3%) all exceeded the national average.

Gwangju-Jeonnam Innovation City’s family-accompanied migration rate was 68.8%, barely surpassing the national average of 65.3%, but the number of single and unmarried residents was 2,138, nearly double the national average of 1,200. It has the second highest number of single-person households nationwide, indicating that the family-accompanied migration rate is somewhat inflated.

The mandatory local talent employment rate (as of 2019) was 24.6%, lower than the national average of 25.9%, with only Gyeongnam, Jeju, and Chungnam regions having lower rates than the Gwangju-Jeonnam Joint Innovation City.

Gwangju-Jeonnam has 40 universities and an average of 36,199 graduates over the past three years, making it the region with the most university graduates except for Busan and Daegu. Despite the urgent need to expand local talent employment, it was confirmed that there is not even a ‘Local Talent Employment Council,’ which most other cities and provinces operate.

Considering that the local talent employment rate is for a joint innovation city, it is pointed out as insufficient. Among the total 3,166 hires in Gwangju-Jeonnam Innovation City, 549 (17.3%) were local talent hires, which is higher than the national average of 15.4%.

Busan had the highest rate at 32.4%, followed by Daegu (24.5%), Gyeongbuk (22.1%), Chungbuk (19.8%), and Chungnam (18%).

Additionally, the establishment of residential infrastructure in innovation cities was found to be urgent. The supply rate of apartment housing was 79%, lower than the national average of 87.1%, ranking second lowest after Chungbuk.

Elementary, middle, and high schools were at about 70% of the planned number, below the national average of 79.6%, and kindergartens were at 63.6%, lower than the national average of 85.1%, revealing that the education environment is the worst among innovation cities nationwide.

Access to medical and welfare infrastructure was also found to be below the national average. General hospitals, emergency medical facilities, and senior leisure welfare facilities were located farther away than the national average.

Representative Cho O-seop said, "The Gwangju-Jeonnam Joint Innovation City must urgently promote the expansion of local talent employment, improvement of poor educational environments, and securing access to medical and welfare infrastructure," adding, "In preparation for the second relocation of public institutions in the metropolitan area, a thorough evaluation of the achievements and challenges of joint innovation cities should be conducted to attract win-win type joint public institutions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.