Ministry of Interior and Safety, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Local Governments Sign Agreement for 'Innovative City Children and Family Specialized Facilities Development'

Participation in Business Agreement by 10 Local Governments

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 25th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it has signed a business agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and 10 local governments to jointly create ‘Innovative City Children and Family Specialized Facilities.’

Nationwide, there are 10 innovative cities established in 11 local governments. Except for Ulsan, which completed the creation of a comprehensive children’s community space last year, 10 local governments including Busan, Daegu, Gwangju-Jeonnam, Ulsan, Gangwon, Chungbuk, Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Jeju are participating in this business agreement.

The average age in innovative cities is 33.5 years, which is younger compared to the national average of 42.6 years, and the population under 9 years old accounts for 16.9%, more than twice the national average of 7.7%. Accordingly, there have been opinions that expansion of family and children-related facilities is necessary.

Through this business agreement, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and each local government plan to form a ‘Project Promotion Council’ to support preliminary administrative procedures, secure project sites, ensure smooth budget execution, and enhance the quality of space operation.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will support the creation of ‘children and family specialized facilities’ tailored to the characteristics of each innovative city and the needs of migrant families by reflecting them as much as possible through the ‘Community Revitalization Foundation Project.’ The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will provide know-how on SOC construction, and each local government has agreed to actively encourage resident participation and enable residents to directly participate in the construction and operation of the spaces.

Vice Minister Lee Jae-young said, “Creating cities where children are happy is of utmost importance for the future of the Republic of Korea,” and added, “Through this agreement, the central and local governments will join forces not only to realize national balanced development but also to spare no support in creating cities where our children can nurture their dreams and hopes.”