Icheon-si, Highest Quality of Life in Rural Areas Among Urban-Rural Complex Cities

Evaluation Results of the Special Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Areas

Gyeonggi-do Icheon-si has been evaluated as the city with the highest quality of life in rural areas among 50 urban-rural complex cities nationwide.

On the 8th, Icheon-si announced that it received the highest score among urban-rural complex cities in the rural quality of life evaluation announced by the Presidential Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Special Affairs on the 5th. This evaluation was conducted by the committee, which assessed 5 areas?economy, health and welfare, culture and community, environment and safety, and regional vitality?targeting rural cities and counties nationwide, resulting in the derivation of city and county indices.

The evaluation was conducted by dividing over 130 cities and counties nationwide into 50 cities including Icheon-si and 79 counties including Ulleung-gun. Icheon-si received the highest score of 59.32 points among urban-rural complex cities.

The city explained that it especially received the highest score in the economic area. The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) per capita was 2.7 times higher than the average, and the fiscal independence ratio was evaluated at 2.2 times the level. Due to the high proportion of young population, it also received a high evaluation in the regional vitality area, and because the demand for emergency welfare support was low, it was also highly rated in the health and welfare area, the city added.

Earlier, Icheon-si ranked 8th nationwide and 3rd within Gyeonggi-do in the '2024 Korea Sustainable City Evaluation' announced by the Korea Regional Management Institute last month.

Kim Kyung-hee, mayor of Icheon-si, said, "The good evaluation seems to be the result of efforts made together with 230,000 citizens during the second year of the 8th elected administration," and added, "We will continue to carry out city administration to create a healthy and happy city for all citizens, such as fostering advanced industries and the 24-hour childcare project."