Goyang Special Mayor Donghwan Lee, "Goyang, a prosperous city with high asset value"... Presents a 4-year blueprint

First Challenge to Attract 'Economic Free Zone' in Northern Gyeonggi
Priority on Attracting Companies, Transportation, and Housing Improvements

Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, delivered his first administrative speech since taking office at the Goyang City Council's extraordinary session held on the 19th, explaining the direction of Goyang city's administration for the next four years. [Goyang City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-chul] Lee Dong-hwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, stated, "During my term, I will focus on attracting businesses, improving transportation, and housing maintenance to create a prosperous city with high tax revenue and asset value."

Mayor Lee gave his first administrative speech since taking office at the Goyang City Council's extraordinary session on the 19th, explaining the direction of Goyang's administration for the next four years.

He pointed out, "Goyang has undergone remarkable administrative development, rising from a county to a city and then to a special city in just 30 years, but its self-sustaining functions remain at the level of 30 years ago."

He then presented five major innovation plans for "the fastest, strongest, and best change in Goyang": ▲ business attraction ▲ transportation and residential environment improvement ▲ well-care ▲ educational city ▲ internal organization, budget, and policy innovation.

Among these, attracting high-tech industry companies and designating an economic free zone were prioritized. He cited Sweden's representative IT cluster, 'Kista Science City,' as a successful example.

Mayor Lee promised to create a "Goyang-style Technovalley," utilizing all available self-sustaining land across Goyang City, concentrating advanced industries such as digital media, content, ICT, system semiconductors, robotics, and drones.

To establish specialized complexes utilizing medical and content industries, plans include 'Goyang Medical Valley' using AI and big data, and a 'K-Content Platform' for movies, dramas, performances, and exhibitions.

The city launched a dedicated team on the mayor's first day in office aiming to include the economic free zone in the 2023 basic plan, which will serve as the foundation for these initiatives.

Regarding the Gyeonggi Province governor's pledge to establish Gyeonggi Buk-do, Mayor Lee expressed cooperation with the province, stating, "The Goyang economic free zone is an essential requirement for the economic independence of northern Gyeonggi, which has a weak financial base."

For transportation network and residential environment improvements, plans include extending the Shinbundang Line to Ilsan, making Line 3 express, and constructing an underground highway from Jayuro to Gangbyeonbuk-ro.

To revitalize the old downtown and reconstruct the first-generation new towns, a dedicated organization will be established to ease permit procedures and shorten processing times.

In welfare, he proposed building a customized platform that goes beyond traditional welfare concepts, enabling balanced living through all life stages, including health, education, culture, sports, and old age.

The establishment of the Goyang Citizens Welfare Foundation will lay the groundwork for "scientific welfare policies" through developing aging production indicators and utilizing big data for elderly policy formulation.

Additionally, plans include establishing public postpartum care centers and comprehensive child care centers, expanding care services, providing free breakfast meals, and attracting specialized high schools and comprehensive universities to develop Goyang into an educational city comparable to Gangnam.

Mayor Lee stated, "If necessary for cooperative governance, we will devise institutional measures that allow citizens and political parties to collaborate effectively from the policy initiation stage," adding, "We will make 'sharing' an essential element by establishing policy-sharing platforms and strategic communication bodies to facilitate communication with citizens."

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