[Interview] Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Goyang, "Long Thirst Has Ended"... 1.09 Million Special City Accelerates as a 'Self-Sufficient City'

Laying the Foundation for a New Leap... Expansion of Administrative and Financial Autonomy
Efforts to 'Escape Bedtown' Including Enactment of District Unit Planning Ordinance
Promotion of Remodeling Projects for Aging Buildings in 1st Generation New Towns

Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Goyang

[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-chul] Goyang City in Gyeonggi Province, with a population of 1.09 million, is accelerating its efforts toward autonomous administrative and financial authority and becoming a self-sufficient city, following its launch as a special city.

Despite being a metropolitan-level city with over one million residents, Goyang had faced reverse discrimination due to its status as a basic local government. However, as a special city, it can now receive and execute delegated authority, affairs, and finances from the central government and the province.

In the field of local finance, the increased budget allows for the expansion of urban infrastructure such as transportation, culture, education, and welfare facilities. The scope of welfare benefits, including basic pensions and national basic livelihood security, has also expanded, and with granted autonomy, the city can independently pursue projects.

In particular, follow-up measures are underway regarding various legal and institutional issues derived from the pillar damage accident at a commercial building in Madu-dong, Ilsandong-gu, which occurred last December.

At that time, cracks appeared in the underground pillars of a seven-story commercial building near Madu Station, prompting the evacuation of about 60 residents and visitors. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but some pillars on the third basement floor were damaged, and the ground in front of the parking lot entrance sidewalk subsided about 5 meters in diameter and 0.5 meters in depth.

Over approximately three months from the accident date, emergency safety inspections and measures for the building were completed, and among various countermeasures, revisions to the urban planning ordinance and district unit plan establishment guidelines are being actively pursued.

Future Job Opportunities in Goyang City [Goyang City]

Mayor Lee Jae-jun of Goyang City first introduced plans for remodeling aging buildings in the first phase new town.

In an interview with this publication, Mayor Lee stated, "Recognizing the need for remodeling in the first phase new town, we revised the urban planning ordinance in 2019, but since the district unit plan was not changed, we are now planning to push for a full-scale revision of the district unit plan."

He continued, "Until now, without changing the district unit plan, infrastructure could only be developed up to 180%, but by changing the district unit plan, there is an advantage of attracting many households depending on the floor area ratio." However, considering limited budget and time, development will proceed sequentially.

He also shared the ordinance enactment policy and the process of raising funds related to this.

Mayor Lee said, "The city itself enacted a joint housing remodeling ordinance in 2019 and has currently accumulated 1.5 billion KRW in the first phase new town remodeling fund. We aim to accumulate 10 billion KRW to establish a remodeling support center and support safety inspections and remodeling project plans."

Earlier this January, at the 'First Phase New Town Revitalization Forum' held at the National Assembly, the city submitted opinions to reflect the introduction of a public management system for remodeling projects and the use of underground spaces in nearby walkways and parks to resolve parking shortages in the special law on joint housing remodeling.

Aerial View of Changneung New Town [Goyang City]

The 7th elected administration of Goyang City has also focused on building self-sufficient facilities to shed the image of a "bedroom town" designed as a satellite city of Seoul.

Mayor Lee said, "Although there has been a long-standing thirst, we are now making a full-fledged leap to a self-sufficient city. The Video Valley, Techno Valley, and CJ Live City have broken ground, and the design of KINTEX Exhibition Hall 3 is in the final stages, so construction is expected to start by the end of this year."

He added, "In Deogyang-gu, the self-sufficient land of Changneung New Town, Seongsa Innovation District, Drone Center, and Hangang Daedeok Drone Airfield are planned. Following the groundbreaking of Seongsa Innovation District and expanding the railway network from 2 to 11 lines, Goyang will undoubtedly emerge as the next-generation central city in the metropolitan area."

There have also been significant changes in transportation. In July last year, seven railway lines in Goyang City were included in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's '4th National Railway Network Construction Plan,' and the Seohae Line extension from Daegok to Sosa, reaching Ilsan Station, is progressing smoothly toward its scheduled opening in January next year.

Goyang City Railway Network Plan [Goyang City]

The GTX-A line will include Changneung Station in the 3rd phase Changneung New Town, resulting in a total of three GTX-A stations in Goyang City: KINTEX Station, Daegok Station, and Changneung Station. Since the end of last month, the Gangneung Line departing from Haengsin Station has also started operation.

The city is also showing a firm commitment to securing self-sufficient land. A representative case is the recent lawsuit victory in the contract cancellation of the 'S2 site,' a support site for KINTEX.

According to the city, the 'S2 site' is a KINTEX support site intended for building a hotel where overseas buyers can stay during exhibition periods. The original contract with the developer included conditions to attract foreign investment within one year and start hotel construction within three years.

However, the developer failed to attract foreign investment on time, and despite two extensions of the construction deadline, the start of construction was delayed.

S2 Site Overview [Goyang-si]

Regarding this, Mayor Lee explained, "Since none of the contract conditions were fulfilled, contract cancellation was a natural decision, but it was not easy. It was a project with no progress for four years, so we could not ignore it and leave city property in limbo."

While Goyang City won in the first trial, second trial, and Supreme Court appeal, the estimated value of the site rose to 80 billion KRW, more than five times the sale price. Meanwhile, the city has been negotiating with KINTEX to consider having KINTEX build the hotel directly.

Additionally, along with the cancellation of the S2 site sales contract, the city enacted an ordinance designating the C4 site as future land and prohibiting its sale for the next 30 years.

Mayor Lee emphasized the future blueprint, saying, "As an innovative city, Goyang moved when everyone else seemed asleep or stopped during the COVID-19 phase, and as a result, we have achieved many outcomes and plans for attracting self-sufficient facilities."