Yoon: "Enactment of 'Special Act for Support of Special Cities' for Yongin, Suwon, Goyang, Changwon... Expansion of City Authority"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 23rd Public Discussion on Livelihoods with the People held at Yongin Special City Hall, Gyeonggi Province, on the 25th, under the theme "Korea's New Growth Engine Hub, Yongin Special City." [Image source=Yonhap News]

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President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 25th, "We will actively support the enactment of the 'Special Act on Support for Special Cities (tentative name)' to enable the four major special cities?Yongin, Suwon, Goyang, and Changwon?to carry out administration befitting special cities by expanding the authority of the cities and establishing systematic urban development plans."

On the same morning, President Yoon presided over the 23rd Public Livelihood Discussion Forum at Yongin City Hall in Gyeonggi Province under the theme "Yongin Special City, the Hub of New Growth Engines in the Republic of Korea," saying, "In the future, advanced companies and talents will grow in Yongin's semiconductor cluster."

President Yoon said, "Before my inauguration, I visited Yongin and promised to make Yongin Special City a high-tech science city and a city leading the development of Korea," adding, "We have announced and are actively promoting the plan to create the world's largest semiconductor mega cluster centered on Yongin." He particularly noted, "Out of the approximately 622 trillion won investment, about 500 trillion won is expected to be invested in Yongin," expressing his expectation that Yongin will leap forward as Korea's hub for new growth engines.

This discussion forum is the first public livelihood forum held together with basic local governments. President Yoon said, "I enjoy the time spent discussing with our citizens, local residents, related officials, and experts the most," emphasizing, "The first public livelihood discussion forum with the people this year on January 4th was held right here in Yongin." He continued, "No matter how good the central government's policies are, if public services such as jobs, housing, health, and welfare are not properly implemented at the basic local government level?the government agency that citizens first encounter?citizens cannot enjoy the benefits."

The Presidential Office stated that holding the public livelihood forum at the basic local government level, unlike before, reflects the government's intention to be closer to the people and to address regional issues and livelihoods more attentively.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 23rd Public Discussion on Livelihoods with the People held at Yongin Special City Hall, Gyeonggi Province, on the 25th, under the theme "Korea's New Growth Engine Hub, Yongin Special City."
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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President Yoon mentioned that Yongin has been one of the regions with the highest population growth in Korea over the past 30 years and explained that Yongin, which started anew as a special city on January 13, 2022, will develop into a global semiconductor production hub and the center of the IT industry representing Korea.

First, President Yoon will expand the authority of the four major special cities, including Yongin, by enacting the 'Special Act on Support for Special Cities' to enable them to carry out administration befitting special cities. A support system will be established to properly formulate urban development plans, including strategic industries. President Yoon said, "For example, authorities such as basic plans for remodeling apartment complexes and approval of high-rise building construction are currently under the jurisdiction of metropolitan governments, but it is appropriate to transfer these authorities to special cities," adding, "Special cities are already metropolitanized and know the local circumstances and conditions best." He also promised to transfer the authority to approve arboretum and garden creation plans to special cities, which understand local circumstances and conditions best.

President Yoon emphasized that as the semiconductor cluster, national industrial complex, and new towns are established in Yongin, the population is expected to increase to 1.5 million, making the expansion of transportation and residential infrastructure important. To this end, the Yongin Idong housing site district, announced at the end of last year, will be constructed promptly.

He also plans to create a 'residential cultural complex town,' a combination of a silver town and a young town, in suburban and low-population township areas, allowing young generations, early career workers, and retired generations working in Yongin to live together.

The 'Semiconductor Expressway,' proposed as a private investment project, will also be promoted promptly. President Yoon said, "We will complete the feasibility study by the end of this year and proceed with selecting the operator and full-scale promotion." To respond to increased traffic demand due to the industrial complex occupancy, the expansion of National Road No. 45 will be carried out, and to facilitate residents' commuting, the construction of connected railway networks such as the Indeokwon-Dongtan Line and Gyeonggang Line will be actively promoted. For existing companies that must relocate due to the designation of the national industrial complex site, relocation measures such as providing alternative sites will be prepared to support uninterrupted business activities.

For Yongin's sustainable development, improvements in soft infrastructure such as education and culture will also be pursued. President Yoon stated, "We will promptly promote the establishment of the 'Semiconductor Meister High School' that Yongin City desires, supporting advanced facilities and top-tier educational programs to nurture core talents who will work in semiconductor companies." Additionally, the authority of the central government will be significantly transferred to allow the city to freely establish a municipal museum and municipal art hall.

About 100 people, including officials from the four special cities of Yongin, Suwon, Goyang, and Changwon, citizens residing in Yongin, businesspeople, workers, and local artists, attended the forum. From the government, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Gyeonggi Provincial Superintendent of Education Lim Tae-hee, and Mayor of Yongin Special City Lee Sang-il participated. From the Presidential Office, Policy Chief Seong Tae-yoon, Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Park Chun-seop, and Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Jang Sang-yoon were present.

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