Gwangyang-si Continues Population Growth for Two Months, Analyzes 'Improvement of Living Conditions'

Strengthening Urban Competitiveness and Accelerating Future Growth by Establishing Infrastructure for a '200,000 Self-Sufficient City'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] The population of Gwangyang City has continued to increase, rising by 1,204 people over the past two months.

According to the city, as of the end of May, the population was 152,576, an increase of 1,204 from 151,372 at the end of March, the city announced on the 1st.

Previously, the city's population sharply decreased by 5,000 from the end of last year to March, but turned to an increasing trend with an increase of 379 in April and 825 in May.

The recent population growth in Gwangyang City is analyzed to be due to improvements in residential conditions, childcare support, proactive COVID-19 response, and the development of infrastructure as a self-sufficient city with jobs.

First, the supply of luxury apartments and other ‘improvements in residential conditions’ appear to be the main cause of population inflow. In fact, starting with the completion of Dongwon Staneom Apartments, Jungmadong increased by 454 people during this period, and the Seonghwang Doiji district has seen a population increase for two consecutive months due to subscription applications for luxury apartments such as the 1,140-unit Daewoo Prugio Apartments and the 704-unit GS Xi Apartments.

It is expected that the upward trend will continue steadily next year when these luxury apartments begin full-scale occupancy. The city is stably supplying new apartments to improve residential conditions and plans to construct and supply 13 complexes with 8,928 apartment units by 2023.

Along with this, bold investments in childcare support projects aimed at creating a ‘city good for raising children’ seem to have driven the influx of young people, resulting in the population increase.

To create an environment where children can be raised safely and without burden, the city established the first-ever Children’s Care Foundation nationwide in 2017 and has invested 1.485 billion KRW so far to support childcare teachers at daycare centers and learning expenses for low-income multi-child families.

This year, the city will expand 21 projects (22.9 billion KRW), including six new projects such as △postpartum care (for mothers and newborns) services (1 billion KRW) △expansion of shared childcare centers (170 million KRW) △increase of public daycare centers (1.5 billion KRW) △local talent development projects (7 billion KRW).

Recently, to overcome the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Gwangyang City became the first in Jeollanam-do to provide ‘Gwangyang City Emergency Disaster Living Expenses’ to all citizens and is proactively implementing ‘livelihood stabilization support measures’ for vulnerable groups and small business owners.

Additionally, focusing on POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks, the steel-related national industrial complex, and the Gwangyang Port hinterland complex, the city is putting effort into ‘job creation’ and strengthening urban competitiveness through large-scale projects such as △construction of material and component knowledge industry centers and metal processing heat treatment support centers △commercialization of high manganese steel △secondary battery cluster complexes △designation of drone regulatory free zones △development of Gwangyang Port Marine Bay.

Lim Chae-gi, Strategic Policy Officer, stated, “Given the nationwide population cliff situation caused by natural decrease (births < deaths), it is necessary to observe future trends to determine whether the recent population increase in Gwangyang City is a temporary phenomenon,” adding, “We will analyze the causes of population changes from various perspectives and prepare policy directions for response.”

Jung Hyun-bok, Mayor of Gwangyang City, said, “Along with overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, we will accelerate efforts to strengthen urban competitiveness and secure future growth engines to create a ‘200,000 self-sufficient city.’”