"Hwaseong City's Growth is Impressive: Jumping from 5th to 4th in Basic Local Government Population"

1.025 Million Recorded by End of September
Strong Industrial Base...Number of Births Ranked First

The population of Hwaseong-si in Gyeonggi-do is rapidly increasing. Despite nationwide concerns about a population cliff, the city is experiencing a sharp rise in population based on a solid industrial foundation.

According to Hwaseong-si on the 14th, as of the end of September, the population of Hwaseong-si, based on the criteria for recognition as a metropolitan city under the Local Autonomy Act, recorded 1,025,333 people. This population includes not only residents registered in the resident registration system but also foreign nationals of Korean descent and registered foreigners.

Accordingly, Hwaseong-si has risen to become the fourth most populous city among basic local governments nationwide, following Suwon, Yongin, and Goyang. Changwon-si in Gyeongnam, which was previously ranked fourth, recorded 1,022,841 people, dropping one rank to fifth.

Hwaseong-si was elevated to city status in 2001. Considering that the population was 210,000 at that time, the population has increased nearly fivefold in 23 years.

Despite concerns about a population cliff, the biggest factor behind Hwaseong-si’s uniquely steep population growth is its solid industrial base. Hwaseong-si is home to about 22,000 companies, the largest number among single basic local governments nationwide, including major domestic corporations such as Samsung Electronics and Kia. Based on this, Hwaseong-si’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) ranks first nationwide.

With many companies concentrated there, Hwaseong-si’s average age is 39.3 years, making it one of the youngest cities in the country. The number of births also ranks first nationwide.

Riding on this population growth trend, the city is preparing to launch as a special city on January 1 next year. Once designated as a special city, it is expected to secure greater autonomy in administrative and financial areas, enabling the provision of more advanced urban administrative services in various fields such as expanding urban infrastructure, enhancing resident welfare, and revitalizing the local economy.

Jung Myung-geun, mayor of Hwaseong-si, said, "Hwaseong-si is rapidly establishing a pleasant residential environment, quality jobs, and a good educational environment, achieving unprecedented urban growth globally," adding, "We will continuously strive to ensure that the launch of the special city is not the end of Hwaseong’s development but a stepping stone for a new leap forward."