[Interview] Jo Yong-ik, Mayor of Bucheon, "Redeveloping Original Downtown and Jungdong Phase 1... Presenting the Future Vision of Residential Spaces"

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February Next Year: 'Station Area Maintenance and Mini New Town Project' Contest
Bucheon Daejang Urban High-Tech Industrial Complex Creation, Sustainable Self-Sufficient City Implementation
Attracting Science High School to Prevent Population Outflow... Preliminary Designation Announcement This Month

"We will restore urban functions in areas around transit stations and aging original downtown districts, and reorganize the first phase of the Jungdong New Town to present a vision for the future of residential spaces."

Jo Yong-ik, Mayor of Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, stated that the policy direction for redevelopment projects focuses on improving the pleasant residential environment of the original downtown, providing rapid support for redevelopment projects, and reducing residents' financial burdens. He announced that the reconstruction of the first phase of Jungdong New Town and the residential environment improvement projects in the original downtown will be promoted in a way that comprehensively improves residential spaces, roads, and surrounding environments, considering the characteristics of each area.

The first phase of Jungdong New Town, which reconstructs 49 apartment complexes grouped into 18 special redevelopment zones, has a standard floor area ratio of 350%. It is divided into six zones by living area, and plans to introduce social infrastructure such as a multipurpose sports center, a complex art and exhibition hall, a future-oriented library, and eco-friendly waterfront pedestrian paths, as well as to build future-type communal housing. This basic redevelopment plan is awaiting approval from Gyeonggi Province this month, and a master plan establishment project is scheduled to be commissioned in February next year.

Recently, two zones, 'Bandal Village A' and 'Eunha Village' (a total of 5,957 households), were selected as reconstruction pilot districts by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, giving further momentum to the redevelopment project of the first phase of Jungdong New Town.

Mayor Jo said, "The Jungdong New Town redevelopment project will minimize residents' burdens and proceed within a range they can bear," adding, "For zones not selected as pilot districts, if they wish to pursue integrated reconstruction, we will provide prompt administrative processing and support at the same level as the pilot districts."

He also announced plans for a call for projects in February next year for the 'Transit Station Area Redevelopment and Mini New Town Project,' stating, "For areas requiring strategic redevelopment like transit station areas, we will actively consider 'zoning upgrades' and floor area ratio relaxations to simultaneously improve urban functions and residential environments."

Jo Yong-ik, Mayor of Bucheon

Mayor Jo views attracting companies as crucial for Bucheon to grow into a sustainable self-sufficient city and is fully committed to the development of the Bucheon Daejang Urban High-tech Industrial Complex.

Following the agreement with SK Group in April to establish the SK Green Techno Campus, a move-in contract is scheduled for next year. Using this as a leading company, the city plans to attract advanced industry companies in fields such as semiconductors, future vehicles, and precision machinery to build an innovative industrial ecosystem. It will form a triangle industrial belt with Seoul Magok and Incheon Gyeyang and foster IT and software-centered startups.

Mayor Jo emphasized, "Bucheon used to rank first or second in fiscal independence, but now tax revenues are decreasing and jobs are declining as factories leave. The Bucheon Daejang Industrial Complex is practically the last land Bucheon City can develop. We will attract advanced industries here and create quality jobs to build a sustainable self-sufficient city."

Currently, four of the six planned GTX (Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway) lines (B, D, E, F) pass through Bucheon, which will have nine railway lines including the existing Subway Lines 1 and 7, Seohae Line, and the metropolitan railway Daejang-Hongdae Line. Along with this transportation infrastructure, proximity to national logistics infrastructure such as Incheon and Gimpo International Airports and Incheon Port raises expectations for attracting companies.

Bucheon’s population peaked at 875,000 in 2010 and has steadily declined to 772,000 as of September this year. The city cites 'educational environment' as a major factor for population outflow. Bucheon lacks not only science high schools and foreign language high schools but also autonomous private and public high schools. As a result, middle school students seeking advanced education have no choice but to move to other areas for high school, which is pointed out as a factor weakening the city’s competitiveness.

At the 'Bucheon Science High School Establishment Promotion Citizens' Briefing' held last October at the auditorium of Ojeong-gu Office in Bucheon, Mayor Jo Yong-ik and citizens are holding hand placards wishing for the attraction of the science high school. Provided by Bucheon City

The effort to attract a science high school began from this sense of crisis. Bucheon City, which submitted an application for the first phase of the Gyeonggi-type science high school new designation preliminary selection, recently completed the interview screening and is about to announce the preliminary designation.

Bucheon City is promoting the establishment of a science high school by converting the current Bucheon High School, expecting great synergy as the city’s advanced industrial base, including the Bucheon Robot Industry Research Complex and Bucheon Daejang SK Green Techno Campus, meets scientific talent.

Mayor Jo said, "Bucheon is a city with well-established cultural and artistic infrastructure such as Bucheon Art Center, Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, and Webtoon Convergence Center, along with science and advanced industrial infrastructure," adding, "By attracting a science high school, we will support students to grow into creative talents who cross the boundaries between science and art."