Gangneung City Enhances Residential Appeal by Improving Quality of Life Through Multifaceted Policy Reforms

Net Outflow of Single-Person Households Decreases,
Family-Unit Relocations on the Rise
Expansion of Education, Care, and Living Support
Drives Improvement in Residential Environment

Gangneung City in Gangwon Province, under Mayor Kim Hongkyu, is working to transform itself into a "city where people want to stay" by improving living conditions. These efforts are expanding beyond education, settlement, care, and safety-areas with high public impact-to also include initiatives for women and youth.

A panoramic view of Gangneung City Hall.

Notably, Gangneung launched its first-ever entrance preparation allowance and relocation congratulatory grant programs in July 2025. Within just four months of implementation, the entrance preparation allowance was provided to 3,843 students and the relocation congratulatory grant was given to 1,474 households, receiving a strong positive response. These two new policies have quickly taken root, as they help reduce educational expenses related to school entrance and advancement, and support the stable settlement of new residents.

Efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion are also ongoing. The proportion of female managers among Gangneung City officials has reached 44%, achieving the highest level of representation in administrative organizations nationwide. In addition, the city continued its "March 8 International Women's Day" commemorative event, first held last year, and strengthened the capacity of local women through gender equality campaigns and program planning and execution.

Environmental improvements to enhance urban safety have been pursued in parallel. From 2024 to 2025, three "women-friendly safe streets" were established, with upgrades such as improved lighting and anti-slip pavement in aging areas. Cultural events were also held, providing citizens with direct access to these spaces and an opportunity to experience the improvements firsthand.

Building on these policy achievements, on November 26, Gangneung was newly designated as a "women-friendly city" by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. From 2026 to 2030, the city plans to establish a "Women-Friendly City Master Plan" and gradually implement gender equality policies tailored to local conditions.

Institutional reforms to reduce the burden of family care are also underway. Starting in 2025, the subsidy rate for out-of-pocket expenses for child care services was increased from 50-20% to 80-40%. As a result, the number of child care service uses rose from 40,000 cases in 2024 to 43,696 cases as of the end of October 2025, enabling more families to access these services without financial strain.

Youth policies have also diversified, focusing on providing a variety of activities and experiential opportunities. In 2025, the city launched the "Dream Sharers" youth volunteer group, offering young people a chance to experience social sharing and responsibility firsthand.

At the "Youth Digital Festival," the first of its kind in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, more than 50 hands-on experiences were offered in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and virtual reality (VR), helping local youth strengthen their creativity, digital skills, and career exploration. Additionally, as part of a pilot project for the Educational Development Special Zone, specialized care-oriented courses (H.P.C) were introduced to supplement after-school care needs and reduce household spending on private education.

These interconnected policies across various sectors have significantly improved the city’s overall residential environment. Recent population movement data also confirm this positive trend: from July to September, there was a net inflow of residents, with a decrease in net outflow among single-person households and an increase in three-person or larger households moving in compared to the previous year. The rise in family-unit relocations is a promising sign for long-term demographic improvement.

Mayor Kim Hongkyu stated, "Small efforts and changes have come together to achieve the designation as a women-friendly city," adding, "We will continue our steady efforts to create a city where everyone, across all generations, wants to live and stay."

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