Vision for Yeoncheon-gun Development: 'Gyeonggi Northern Green Engine, Global Ecological Peace City Yeoncheon'
Proposal for Gapyeong-gun Development Vision: 'Clean and Healing Digital-Creative City'
Explanation of Major Northern Large-Scale Development Achievements, Changes, and Key Progress; Building Consensus through Resident Feedback
Vice Governor Oh Hu-seok: "We will create a bright future for Northern Gyeonggi step by step"

Gyeonggi Province is consecutively holding the Gyeonggi Northern Region City and County Vision Tour Meetings in Yeoncheon-gun and Gapyeong-gun, fostering consensus with residents.

Gyeonggi Province held a series of vision tour meetings with local governments in Yeoncheon-gun and Gapyeong-gun, fostering consensus with residents.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 30th, the meetings held on the 24th in Yeoncheon-gun and the 25th in Gapyeong-gun were conducted about two months after similar meetings in July and August in four cities and counties: Pocheon-si, Uijeongbu-si, Dongducheon-si, and Yangju-si. Despite being underdeveloped areas, Yeoncheon-gun and Gapyeong-gun have directly experienced reverse discrimination due to their location within the metropolitan area. These meetings aimed to present future visions and discuss implementation plans jointly between the province and the counties.

Presided over by Oh Hu-seok, the 2nd Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi Province, the meetings were attended by key officials including Kim Deok-hyun, Mayor of Yeoncheon-gun, Seo Tae-won, Mayor of Gapyeong-gun, provincial assembly members, and county council members. Over 250 residents participated over the two days, making it a meaningful occasion to demonstrate Gyeonggi Province’s sincere commitment to Yeoncheon-gun and Gapyeong-gun.

The Gyeonggi Research Institute proposed the development vision for Yeoncheon-gun as “Northern Gyeonggi Green Engine, Global Ecological Peace City Yeoncheon” and for Gapyeong-gun as “A Clean and Healing Digital and Creative City.” Detailed explanations followed regarding current status diagnosis, direction setting, and specific development strategies and tasks aligned with these visions.

The province explained the achievements and changes from the large-scale development in northern Gyeonggi, as well as the progress on requests from local governments. This was followed by comprehensive discussions and opinion gathering to communicate with local residents for the development of Yeoncheon-gun and Gapyeong-gun.

Yeoncheon-gun proposed activation plans for the YeoncheonBIX Green Bio Cluster, including the establishment of a branch of the Korea Institute of Energy Research within YeoncheonBIX (short-term) and increased operation frequency of the Gyeongwon Line. There was also a proposal to upgrade the Yeoncheon County Health Medical Center (county-run) to the level of a provincial hospital and to cover its deficit. Regarding the promotion of the defense industry using idle county land, it is still in the early review stage, but the agenda has been adopted as part of the northern Gyeonggi large-scale development, requesting provincial-level review and support.

Gapyeong-gun showed great interest in road SOC (social overhead capital), lamenting that Gapyeong was excluded from the Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway and requested smooth progress of the currently under-construction Local Road No. 387 (Naebang to Yeonha). For the grid roads between Gapyeong and Hyun-ri and between Jeokmok and Sangpan sections, they asked the province to ensure these projects proceed without any further reconsideration.

Additionally, residents made requests including active utilization of provincial idle land to contribute to regional development, measures to address the Gapyeong bypass issue following the opening of the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, resolution of the issue of owning two houses per household, lifting zoning restrictions around station areas, water supply expansion, and shortening bus intervals (bus No. 7001) during commuting hours.

Both Yeoncheon-gun and Gapyeong-gun share a common recognition that resolving education and medical issues is of utmost importance. They requested the province’s active resolution and assistance in these areas.

Oh Hu-seok, the 2nd Deputy Governor, stated, “If rapid development of northern Gyeonggi is considered a special autonomous province, then the northern Gyeonggi large-scale development is about finding ways to steadily develop it even if it takes some time. Through this meeting, we will think together with the counties about what projects Gyeonggi Province can undertake and work hard to create a bright future for northern Gyeonggi step by step.”

The vision tour meetings for northern Gyeonggi cities and counties will continue with plans to hold sessions in Goyang-si, Namyangju-si, Paju-si, and Guri-si.