Donghae City Accelerates Third Year of Educational Development Special Zone... All-Out Effort for Hands-On Education Innovation

Donghae City to Expand New Projects in the Educational Development Special Zone in 2026
Aiming to Create a City of Tailored, Inspiring Education
Mayor Sim Gyueon: "2026 Will Be the Year Students and Parents Directly Experience Educational Change"

Donghae City in Gangwon Province is entering the third year of its Educational Development Special Zone pilot project, further strengthening hands-on education policies that encompass career guidance, future technology, care, and civic education.

A panoramic view of Donghae City Hall.

On January 28, Donghae City announced that, marking the third year of the Educational Development Special Zone pilot project, it will fully implement the special zone initiative in 2026, focusing on new projects under the vision of "creating a city of tailored, inspiring education enjoyed together with the next generation."

The Educational Development Special Zone pilot project aims to build an innovative education model tailored to local conditions, enhance the competitiveness of public education, and establish a foundation for a city that is ideal for raising children. Over the past first and second years, Donghae City has gradually established a collaborative education system linking schools, the local community, and universities.

In the first year, the city focused on introducing region-specific education programs and establishing a foundation for collaboration. The second year saw an expansion into new areas, including increased career experience opportunities, talent development in partnership with local universities, and the strengthening of after-school and care programs. These efforts led to notable achievements in broadening students' career choices and learning opportunities outside of school.

This year, the third year, is a phase where, building on previous achievements, new projects will be significantly expanded so that students and parents can directly experience changes in the field of education. New policies will be implemented across career guidance, experiential learning, care, and civic education.

First, the city will newly host the "2026 Youth Career Expo" (tentative name) and launch a one-on-one career and academic mentoring program for high school students, providing tailored career support such as major exploration, learning coaching, and college counseling.

A next-generation youth innovation education (AI and drone) academy will be introduced to strengthen future technology experiential education, while a future talent development program in partnership with local universities will offer students opportunities to experience a variety of academic fields and career paths.

Additionally, experiential civic education programs such as the "Republic of Korea Territorial Love Project" and the "Learning About the Separation of Powers Field Trip" will be implemented to enhance students' understanding of society and their capacity for participation.

Alongside these efforts, the city will newly promote the activation of small schools and village education communities, and expand after-school care and activity spaces by establishing a care program facility at the Buksam Youth Center, thereby strengthening the linkage between community-based education and care.

Furthermore, through the "Teachers and Students Walking the Path of Learning Together" project, the city will work to foster a healthy educational culture based on communication and trust between teachers and students.

Donghae City Mayor Sim Gyu-eon stated, "2026 will be the year when students and parents truly experience the changes brought about by the Educational Development Special Zone project," adding, "We will steadily lay the foundation for Donghae as an educational city through field-centered education policies."

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