Geochang-gun Selected for Second Round of Pilot Area Designation as 'Education Development Special Zone'

Gyeongnam Province, Gyeongsangnamdo Office of Education, Geochang County and 4 Other Counties Selected for Type 3

Geochang County in Gyeongsangnam-do announced on the 30th that the “Gyeongnam Local Study Education Development Special Zone,” jointly promoted by four counties including Gyeongsangnam-do, the provincial office of education, and Geochang County, was selected in the second round of the “Education Development Special Zone Pilot Area” contest hosted by the Ministry of Education.

Group photo commemorating the selection of Geochang County as an Education Development Special Zone.

The Education Development Special Zone is a core policy of the government to realize the era of local autonomy. It is a local revitalization policy that aims to create a foundation for local talent to receive quality education and live happily in their region by having local governments and offices of education collaborate with universities, industries, and public institutions. The policy supports the establishment of customized development strategies for all areas of education tailored to each region.

The newly selected “Gyeongnam Local Study Education Development Special Zone” involves the participation of four counties in Gyeongsangnam-do?Geochang, Hamyang, Changnyeong, and Uiryeong. The goal is to overcome regional extinction through regional specialization by supporting innovation in public education tailored to the region, establishing campus-type joint schools, and attracting urban populations to local study programs.

In the first round of applications in February, the county applied as Type 1 and was preliminarily designated. However, for the second round, Gyeongsangnam-do, the provincial office of education, and the four counties applied together as Type 3, which led to this achievement. Once designated as a pilot area for the Education Development Special Zone, the region can receive more than 3 billion KRW in special grants annually for three years, regardless of type, along with various special benefits.

Gu Inmo, the mayor of Geochang County, said, “With this designation as a pilot area for the Education Development Special Zone, we will comprehensively support the innovation of local education, the cultivation of local talent, and the settlement of residents, further establishing Geochang as an educational city where anyone would want to live.”