"When Businesses Flock In, the City Transforms"... Uijeongbu City Leaps Toward an Advanced Business Hub

Yonghyeon Industrial Complex: A Space Where Youth and Technology Thrive
Regulatory Innovation Unlocks Restricted Land, Securing Growth Engines
Building a Future Industry Foundation with Economic Free Zone and AI Innovation Cluster
Kim Donggeun: "Three Years That Changed the City, Continuing with Changes Citizens Can Truly Feel"

Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Donggeun) has placed the conviction that "when businesses come, the city changes" at the center of its urban strategy since the launch of the 8th popularly elected administration. Over the past three years, the city has been driving comprehensive innovation through business attraction, industrial complex advancement, regulatory relief, the establishment of future industry foundations, and revitalization of local commercial districts.

Photo of Mayor Kim Donggeun attending the "Visiting Business Attraction Briefing Session." Provided by Uijeongbu City

According to Uijeongbu City on the 27th, the city established a "Business Attraction Team" immediately after the launch of the 8th administration, declaring its intention to overcome the limitations of a "bedroom community" bound by regulations by creating "good jobs." After assessing the reality that the city ranks low in per capita gross regional domestic product (GRDP) and fiscal independence, Uijeongbu chose a virtuous cycle scenario: "When businesses come, people follow."

Business Attraction Achievements... When Businesses Come, the City Changes

The execution was far from typical. The mayor personally led "Visiting Business Attraction Briefing Sessions," while the entire process was designed to be hands-on, including working groups of public officials and private experts, as well as interdepartmental strategy meetings. As a result, a total of five anchor companies and institutions chose to come to Uijeongbu: ▲Cloud Data Center ▲Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) Gyeonggi Northern Regional Headquarters ▲BioGen Solution Co., Ltd. ▲Uijeongbu Nonghyup Complex Cultural Facility ▲CGBio Co., Ltd.

In particular, with the relocation of the LH Gyeonggi Northern Regional Headquarters, about 300 resident employees were brought in, increasing the flow of office workers to restaurants near Yonghyeon Industrial Complex and injecting vitality into the previously stagnant commercial district. This is a representative example demonstrating that business attraction is directly leading to the revitalization of the local economy, thereby proving the effectiveness of the business city strategy.

The city has made it a core strategy to attract businesses, create jobs, and secure tax revenue, which is then reinvested into urban infrastructure, establishing a virtuous cycle. Uijeongbu plans to accelerate its efforts to attract even more businesses in the future.

Yonghyeon Industrial Complex panorama. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Advancing Yonghyeon Industrial Complex... A Future-Oriented Industrial Park Where People and Technology Work Together

The city has selected "Yonghyeon Industrial Complex," the only industrial complex in the region, as the bridgehead for its "business city" strategy. Since its establishment in 2000, Yonghyeon Industrial Complex has served as an industrial hub with 128 companies and over 2,000 employees, but its competitiveness has declined due to aging infrastructure, cultural heritage regulations, and a lack of worker support facilities.

In response, the city has launched a "high-level advancement strategy" that simultaneously strengthens industrial competitiveness and improves the residential environment. The plan is to transform Yonghyeon Industrial Complex from a simple production space into an advanced industrial ecosystem where youth, technology, and culture converge. The ultimate goal is to achieve tangible changes that both enhance the growth potential of resident companies and improve the quality of life for workers.

To improve worker convenience, the city increased the number of parking spaces from 143 to 235 and introduced a commuter bus connecting Dobongsan Station and Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, greatly improving commuting conditions.

Additionally, 170 LED streetlights were installed throughout the complex to enhance nighttime safety, and a healing walking trail was created for worker relaxation, ensuring a comfortable work environment. Furthermore, the city is pursuing the construction of a "Complex Cultural Center" to transform the area into a space where work, life, and culture coexist, rather than just a workplace.

Cloud Data Center Investment Agreement (First Corporate Attraction). Provided by Uijeongbu City

Resolving Regulations... Unlocking Restricted Land as a Growth Engine

The decisive turning point that accelerated the "business city" strategy was regulatory reform. The most significant achievement was the relaxation of height restrictions in Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, the heart of the local industry.

Previously, 84% of Yonghyeon Industrial Complex was designated as a historical and cultural environment preservation area, requiring an "impact assessment" for buildings over 10 stories within 200 to 300 meters of cultural heritage boundaries.

To remove this major obstacle to expanding production facilities and advancing the complex, the city conducted numerous on-site inspections and consultations with related organizations, including Gyeonggi Province and the National Heritage Administration.

As a result of these efforts, the "Ordinance on the Preservation and Utilization of Cultural and Natural Heritage in Gyeonggi Province" was amended in July last year, deleting the impact assessment provision and significantly expanding the area that can be developed without building restrictions.

This improvement has greatly enhanced the investment environment for companies, providing the foundation for the city to become an "industrial complex ideal for investment."

The second major change was the lifting of the Green Belt (GB) designation for "Camp Jackson." Camp Jackson, a small-scale U.S. military return site covering 82,000 square meters, was not previously eligible for GB release under existing guidelines.

The city continuously consulted with related agencies, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Gyeonggi Province, and the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and proposed institutional improvements. As a result, in April last year, the Ministry of Land revised its guidelines to allow GB release for small sites under 200,000 square meters.

Based on the city's plan to develop Camp Jackson as a hub for advanced industries and R&D research facilities, and with an excellent transportation network that includes National Route 3, the Seoul Metropolitan Area 1st Circular Expressway, and Subway Line 1, the site is emerging as a "blue chip" for business attraction. Environmental remediation is scheduled for completion in September, drawing attention to Camp Jackson as a future growth hub in the southeastern corridor of Uijeongbu.

LH Gyeonggi Northern Regional Headquarters Relocation Business Agreement (Second Company Attraction). Provided by Uijeongbu City

Securing a Future Industry Foundation... Economic Free Zone and AI Innovation Cluster

In April, the city was finally selected as a candidate site for the "Gyeonggi Economic Free Zone Additional Designation Competition." This selection marks an important starting point for Uijeongbu City's leap toward becoming an advanced business city.

An economic free zone is a business-friendly special district under the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act, where various regulations are relaxed and broad incentives are provided, such as tax reductions, streamlined administrative procedures, and incentives for foreign investment.

Until now, Uijeongbu has struggled to expand its industrial infrastructure due to the constraints of being in a congestion control area, but with this designation, the city has secured a growth foundation free from such regulations.

The designated sites are "Camp Red Cloud (CRC)" and "Camp Kyle," both returned U.S. military sites. CRC, an 836,000-square-meter (250,000-pyeong) former U.S. military base, will be transformed into a global business hub integrating design, media content, and AI industries, utilizing existing architectural assets. Camp Kyle, adjacent to Eulji University Hospital and Catholic University Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, will be developed as a biomedical cluster, leveraging its locational advantages.

The city also plans to gradually include Camp Jackson and the only remaining unreleased Camp Stanley, aiming to complete an advanced industry belt connecting Seoul, southern Gyeonggi, and northern Gyeonggi.

In line with this, the city achieved another milestone in May by being selected for the "Gyeonggi Province AI Innovation Cluster Creation Project." The AI Innovation Cluster will be a comprehensive platform supporting AI-based startups and business growth, with infrastructure such as startup incubation spaces, testbeds, coworking spaces, and professional mentoring.

The city proposed the "Uijeongbu City Business Support Center" as the target site, and was selected based on its urban location, connectivity to Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, strategic linkage potential with the economic free zone, and the potential for upgrading existing manufacturing industries.

The Business Support Center will serve as an outpost supporting AI startups and the digital and AI transformation of local manufacturing. The city plans to use this center as a hub for technology demonstration projects in collaboration with local universities and research institutes, entrepreneurship education, and global linkage programs.

2024 Gumo Sangsaeng Festa. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Revitalizing Commercial Districts... Festivals Highlighting the Unique Character of Each Area Bring New Energy

Just as important as increasing jobs through business attraction is revitalizing local commercial districts. Since the launch of the 8th administration, the city has consistently held festivals tailored to the unique characteristics of each district, creating a renewed flow of people and sales in previously stagnant areas.

Last year, a series of festivals reflecting the unique character of each district were held, including ▲Minrak Beer Festival ▲Gumo Sangsaeng Festa ▲Ganeung Night Market ▲Dongo Mashil Festa ▲Budae Jjigae Festival. These events produced notable results, drawing crowds and boosting sales in each neighborhood.

For example, the "Minrak Beer Festival" was held on the last Friday and Saturday of August at the Rodeo Street in Minrak 2 District. By actively incorporating citizen feedback from the previous year, the number of beer varieties was increased from 4 to 18, and busking stages and children's experience zones were added. As a result, the number of visitors increased by 65% compared to the previous year. All 270 tables set up along the street were filled throughout the event, and store sales over the two days rose by about 10% compared to a typical weekend.

At the end of September, the "Gumo Sangsaeng Festa" made its debut. The newly formed Gumo Food Alley Merchants Association took the lead in transforming the Gumo-dong commercial area into a space for performances and food. Thanks to the influx of visitors in just one day, restaurant sales in the alley increased by 15.2% compared to a typical Saturday.

In early October, the "Ganeung Night Market" was held for two days in the Ganeung Station commercial area, featuring a "company dinner gathering" concept. During the festival, long lines formed at restaurants around Ganeung Station in the evenings, and sales over the two days surged by nearly half (46.5%) compared to usual.

Mayor Kim Donggeun said, "When businesses come in, jobs are created, and as jobs increase, the quality of life improves. Over the past three years, based on this principle, we have transformed the overall fabric of the city, from advancing industrial complexes and regulatory innovation to building a future industry foundation and revitalizing commercial districts," adding, "We will continue the momentum of Uijeongbu as an advanced business city and deliver tangible changes that citizens can truly feel."

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