Hamyang County Selected as Second Pilot Area for Education Development Special Zone

Gyeongnam Designated as Pilot Area for Local Study Education Special Zone
Secures 9 Billion Won in Special Grants to Address Regional Decline through Education

Hamyang County in Gyeongnam Province has been finally selected as a leading area in the second round of the Ministry of Education's "Educational Development Special Zone Pilot Region" contest.

The "Gyeongnam Local Study Abroad Educational Development Special Zone," jointly applied for by Gyeongnam Province, the provincial office of education, and the education support offices and local governments of Hamyang County, Uiryeong County, Changnyeong County, and Geochang County, has been designated as a pilot region.

Group photo commemorating the designation of Hamyang County as the second pilot area for the Education Development Special Zone.

The Educational Development Special Zone is a policy designed to address the deepening imbalance between regions and concerns about regional extinction due to population decline. It aims to establish a system where local stakeholders such as local governments, offices of education, universities, local businesses, and public institutions cooperate to support regional educational innovation, foster local talent, and promote settlement in a comprehensive manner for the advancement of public education.

Once designated as a pilot region, the area will receive a special grant of 3 billion KRW annually for three years, as well as various education-related special benefits tailored to local characteristics. In addition, among the pilot regions, leading areas will be officially designated as special zones after a comprehensive evaluation by the Ministry of Education following three years of operation.

The "Gyeongnam Local Study Abroad Educational Development Special Zone" includes: ▲ innovation in public education utilizing the region's specialized educational resources ▲ creation of local study abroad education villages to attract students ▲ establishment of campus-type joint schools where neighboring regions collaborate for education ▲ linkage with the "Gyeongnam Future Strategic Industry Educational Development Special Zone" model, which was designated as Gyeongnam's first educational special zone.

Jin Byungyeong, the mayor of Hamyang County, stated, "The designation of this educational development special zone will not only enhance Hamyang's educational competitiveness but also be a great force in overcoming the crisis of population decline and regional extinction. Based on the successful experience of saving Seoha Elementary School, the nation's first small school revitalization project, we will establish a suitable leading model for the region. Through specialized education and improved settlement conditions, we will attract local study abroad populations and overcome the risk of regional extinction."