"When Companies Arrive, the City Comes Alive"... Uijeongbu Makes Major Shift to an Advanced Corporate City

Kim Donggeun's "Uijeongbu Renaissance": A City Flowing with Jobs and Culture

Uijeongbu Successfully Attracts Five Anchor Companies Including LH Northern Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters

A Spectacular Transformation into "Yonghyeon InnoCity Valley"... Creation of AI Innovation Cluster

Accelerating Toward a Self-Sustaining City: Unstoppable Progress with Economic Free Zone Candidate Selection

Mayor Kim Donggeun: "Business Attraction Is the Only Key to Changing Citizens' Lives"

Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Donggeun) has successfully transformed itself into a "business-friendly city," emerging as a new industrial hub in northern Gyeonggi Province. With the launch of the 8th popularly elected administration, Uijeongbu City prioritized the strategy of "business attraction changes the city," and over the past three years, it has achieved tangible results, including attracting major companies, advancing industrial complexes, easing regulations, securing a foundation for future industries, and revitalizing local commercial districts.

A ceremony was held to commemorate the relocation of the LH Northern Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters building on June 21, 2024. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Exterior view of the LH Gyeonggi Northern Regional Headquarters Uijeongbu Office. Courtesy of Uijeongbu City.

Results of Business Attraction... When Companies Come, Cities Change

According to Uijeongbu City on April 18, the city established a "Business Attraction Team" immediately after the start of the 8th administration and declared its intention to overcome the limitations of being a bedroom community bound by regulations by creating "quality jobs." After acknowledging its low ranking in per capita gross regional domestic product (GRDP) and fiscal independence, the city chose a virtuous cycle scenario under the belief that "when companies come, people follow."

The implementation was far from conventional. The mayor personally led "on-site business attraction briefings," and the entire process—from working groups of public officials and private experts to interdepartmental strategy meetings—was designed to be closely connected to the field. As a result, a total of five anchor companies and institutions chose to relocate to Uijeongbu: a cloud data center, LH Northern Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters, BioGenSolution Co., Ltd., Uijeongbu Nonghyup Multipurpose Cultural Facility, and CGBio Co., Ltd.

In particular, the relocation of LH Northern Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters brought more than 300 resident staff to the area, increasing the number of office workers frequenting restaurants near Yonghyeon Industrial Complex and injecting new vitality into a previously stagnant commercial area. This is a representative example of how business attraction directly revitalizes the local economy, demonstrating the effectiveness of the business city strategy.

The city considers the virtuous cycle of attracting companies to create jobs, securing tax revenue through these jobs, and reinvesting in urban infrastructure as its core strategy and plans to accelerate business attraction efforts going forward.

Yonghyeon Industrial Complex panoramic view. Provided by Uijeongbu City

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

The focal point of Uijeongbu City's "business city" strategy is "Yonghyeon Industrial Complex," the only industrial complex within the city. Since its establishment in 2000, Yonghyeon Industrial Complex has been home to 128 companies and more than 2,000 employees, serving as an industrial hub, but its competitiveness has weakened due to aging infrastructure, restrictions related to cultural assets, and a lack of worker support facilities.

Therefore, with the start of the 8th administration, Uijeongbu City launched an "advancement strategy" that simultaneously strengthens industrial competitiveness and improves the residential environment. The plan is to transform Yonghyeon Industrial Complex from a mere production zone into an advanced industrial ecosystem where young people, technology, and culture converge. The ultimate goal is to foster the growth potential of tenant companies while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life for workers.

To improve worker convenience, the city expanded the number of parking spaces from 143 to 235 and introduced a new 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 workers' relaxation, ensuring a pleasant working environment. Furthermore, the city is promoting the construction of a "Multipurpose Cultural Center," aiming to transform the complex into a space where work and culture coexist, not just a workplace.

Notably, to strengthen the identity and external recognition of the industrial complex, the city gave it a new name: "Yonghyeon InnoCity Valley." This name, which stands for "an integrated space of Innovation, City, and Industry," was selected through a public contest and has been officially incorporated into the city's basic management plan for industrial complexes, becoming a valuable brand asset.

Camp Jackson panorama. Courtesy of Uijeongbu City

Easing Regulations... Unlocking Restricted Land for Growth

The decisive turning point that enabled Uijeongbu City to accelerate its "business city" strategy was the "elimination of regulations." The most significant achievement among these was the relaxation of building height restrictions at Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, which is the heart of the region's industry.

Yonghyeon Industrial Complex had 84% of its total area designated as a historical and cultural environment protection zone, requiring an "impact assessment" for buildings taller than 10 stories within 200–300 meters of cultural property boundaries.

To remove this regulation, which was a major obstacle to expanding production facilities and advancing the complex, the city held several on-site inspections and consultations with Gyeonggi Province, the National Heritage Administration, and other relevant agencies.

As a result of these efforts, in July last year, the "Ordinance on the Preservation and Utilization of Gyeonggi-do's Cultural and Natural Heritage" was amended, eliminating the impact assessment requirement and significantly increasing the area that can be developed without building restrictions.

With improved conditions for corporate investment, the city is now poised to become an "industrial complex that is attractive for investment."

The second significant change was the lifting of the Green Belt (GB) restriction on "Camp Jackson." Camp Jackson, an 82,000-square-meter former US military base, was not previously eligible for GB release under existing guidelines.

Uijeongbu City continued to consult with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Gyeonggi Province, and the Office for Government Policy Coordination, proposing institutional improvements. As a result, in April last year, a revision of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport guidelines allowed for the release of GB status for sites smaller than 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 excellent transportation networks including National Route 3, the Seoul Ring Expressway, and Subway Line 1, Camp Jackson is emerging as a "blue chip" destination for corporate investment.

Camp Redcloud panorama. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Securing a Foundation for Future Industries... Economic Free Zones and AI Innovation Clusters

In April, Uijeongbu City was selected as a final candidate for additional designation as a "Gyeonggi Economic Free Zone." This selection marks an important starting point for the city's leap toward becoming an advanced corporate city.

An Economic Free Zone is a business-friendly special zone exempt from various regulations under the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act, offering broad benefits such as tax reductions, simplified administrative procedures, and incentives for foreign investment.

Uijeongbu previously struggled to expand its industrial infrastructure due to the restrictions of being a "congestion control zone," but with this designation, the city has secured a foundation for growth free from regulatory constraints.

The designated sites are "Camp Redcloud (CRC)" and "Camp Kyle," both returned US military bases. CRC, with an area of 836,000 square meters (250,000 pyeong), is set to be transformed into a global business hub combining design, media content, and AI industries by utilizing existing building assets. Camp Kyle will be developed into a biomedical cluster, leveraging its proximity to Eulji University Hospital and Catholic University Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital.

The city also plans to gradually include Camp Jackson and the only unrestituted site, Camp Stanley, to complete a high-tech industrial belt connecting Seoul, southern Gyeonggi, and northern Gyeonggi.

In conjunction, the city achieved another milestone in May by being selected for Gyeonggi-do's "AI Innovation Cluster Development Project." The AI Innovation Cluster is a comprehensive platform that supports AI-based startups and corporate growth, providing infrastructure such as startup incubation spaces, test beds, coworking spaces, and professional mentoring.

The city proposed the "Uijeongbu City Business Support Center" as the site, highlighting its central urban location, connectivity with Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, strategic linkages with the Economic Free Zone, and the potential for advancing existing manufacturing industries, which contributed to its selection.

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

Camp Kyle overview. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Kim Donggeun, Mayor of Uijeongbu: "When Companies Come, the City Changes"

"It is time to change the fundamental structure of the city. Companies must come for jobs to be created, and jobs must be created for lives to be changed. The starting point of that change is the 'Economic Free Zone.'"

For the past three years, Mayor Kim Donggeun of Uijeongbu City has focused his administration on transforming the city's identity from a "bedroom community" to a "city where businesses gather."

Indeed, Uijeongbu City reached a major turning point toward becoming an advanced corporate city this year when it was selected as a candidate site for "additional designation as an Economic Free Zone" by Gyeonggi Province.

Mayor Kim stated, "Uijeongbu was a city bound by overlapping regulations such as the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act and Military Facility Protection Zones. The Economic Free Zone is the official channel to overcome those barriers. This is not just a designation but an opportunity to redraw the industrial map of Uijeongbu."

The candidate sites are returned US military bases Camp Redcloud (CRC) and Camp Kyle. CRC will be developed into a business hub integrating AI, media, and design industries, while Kyle will become a biomedical cluster linked to nearby hospitals.

Mayor Kim explained, "When companies come in, the city's structure itself changes. Immediately after taking office, I formed a Business Attraction Team. When companies gather, jobs are created, tax revenue grows, and we can reinvest in infrastructure. I have focused on creating that virtuous cycle."

Uijeongbu City has worked to enhance its competitiveness by easing regulations, modernizing Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, and redeveloping former US military sites, while also creating an environment attractive to businesses. As a result of these efforts, major anchor companies and public institutions such as the cloud data center, LH Northern Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters, and BioGenSolution Co., Ltd. have successively chosen Uijeongbu, making the transition to a business city increasingly visible.

Mayor Kim Donggeun said, "Uijeongbu is transitioning from being a gateway city to Seoul to a self-sustaining city with industrial functions. When good companies come in, quality jobs are created, and as jobs increase, both income and quality of life improve."

He further emphasized, "The goal of becoming an advanced corporate city is not simply to attract companies but to change the lives of citizens. Going forward, we will focus our capabilities on fostering high-tech industries, creating jobs, and building an industrial ecosystem centered on the Economic Free Zone."

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