Hwacheon County Earns Top Rating in Education Development Special Zone Pilot... Signals Green Light for Official Designation

Hwacheon Receives Top Marks as Education Development Special Zone Pilot Area,
Secures 1 Billion Won in National Funding
Ministry of Education Awards Hwacheon County an 'A' Grade in Last Year's Pilot Area Evaluation

Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province received the highest rating in the Ministry of Education's nationwide Education Development Special Zone pilot area operation evaluation.

Hwacheon County's Education Development Special Zone received the highest rating in the Ministry of Education's pilot area operation evaluation. The photo shows the Hwacheon Community Center, the nation's first local government-operated all-day care facility for elementary students, which opened in February last year. Photo by Hwacheon County

As a result, Hwacheon County secured 1 billion won in project funding from the Ministry of Education for operating the pilot area of the Education Development Special Zone, and now has the prospect of being officially designated as a special zone in the future.

The Education Development Special Zone pilot project was introduced for the first time last year by the Ministry of Education and the Committee for the Era of Local Autonomy to foster local talent through public education innovation and to improve residential conditions, thereby overcoming the crisis of regional depopulation.

Hwacheon County was selected as a pilot area in the first year of the program and secured 9 billion won in project funding, and was also chosen as a leading area among the pilot regions.

In the Ministry of Education's operation evaluation, Hwacheon County was highly praised for establishing an excellent legal and institutional foundation for the stable operation of the special zone.

The county was also recognized not only for setting an example as a local government directly leading all-day care services, but also for its significant contribution to spreading these achievements.

Since the launch of the 6th popularly elected administration in 2014, Hwacheon County has prioritized education support and care-related policies as its top administrative agenda for over 10 years.

In fact, Hwacheon County alleviated the childcare burden of dual-income couples by completing the Hwacheon Community Center, the nation’s first local government-led all-day care facility, in Hwacheon-eup in February last year.

Additionally, the county conducts large-scale overseas language and backpacking programs every year to help rural youth acquire foreign language skills and enhance their global awareness.

Furthermore, Hwacheon County continues to implement the nation’s first policy of providing full tuition support for four years to university students, monthly housing support, and study abroad funding for those admitted to one of the world’s top 100 universities.

As early as this year, the county plans to begin construction of the Sanae Community Center, an all-day care facility, in the Sanae-myeon area.

In addition, the county provides top-level college entrance and career counseling services every year and operates its own residential academy, Hwacheon Learning Center, which has produced students admitted to prestigious universities in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Choi Moonsun, Governor of Hwacheon County, stated, "We will continue to provide unwavering support so that the children of Hwacheon can achieve their dreams," adding, "We will steadfastly pursue education support and care policies to secure the official designation of the Education Development Special Zone."

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