Average Age in New Town 36... Establishing Itself as a Dynamic City
Public Medical Center for Northeast Gyeonggi Secured in Yangju
Leap to a Central City in Northern Gyeonggi... Multifaceted Changes
The year 2024, the Cheongryonghae Gapjin year, is drawing to a close. With a spirit of hope and challenge, Yangju City, which has been striving to implement the future blueprint of the central city of northern Gyeonggi Province, has focused on key tasks while faithfully adhering to basics and principles with an attitude of buoying up the weak and stabilizing the tilted, working hard to revitalize the local economy and strengthen Yangju's unique competitiveness.
Last year, Yangju City ranked first nationwide in population growth rate, third nationwide in birth rate, and recorded an average age of 36 in new towns (compared to the Seoul metropolitan area average of 43), establishing itself as a young and dynamic city.
Building on these achievements, Yangju City dreamed of leaping forward as the central city of northern Gyeonggi Province and created meaningful changes in various fields such as urban development, culture and education, and transportation. Looking back on the footsteps of 2024, we have selected the top 10 news stories among the projects and achievements promoted by Yangju City.
◇ The Fruit of Yangju Citizens... Yangju Selected as the Site for the Gyeonggi Northern Public Medical Center
Yangju City delivered a petition containing the signatures of 220,000 Yangju citizens to Gyeonggi Province on July 22. Photo by Yangju City
Yangju City, which had suffered inconvenience due to a lack of medical facilities, was selected last September as the candidate site for the Gyeonggi Northern Public Medical Center announced by Gyeonggi Province, fulfilling the long-cherished wish of 300,000 Yangju citizens.
This selection was made even more meaningful as it was the result of the united efforts of Yangju citizens, including over 220,000 citizen signatures and the wishes of organizations and individuals for the center’s establishment. The newly selected public medical center will operate as an 'innovative public hospital' integrating medical and care services.
The planned site for the medical center in Okjeong-dong, Yangju City, is designated as medical land, allowing immediate construction and operation without issues in urban planning or development processes. Additionally, being close to the northeastern region of Gyeonggi Province, it is expected to provide high-quality medical services to all residents.
The city plans to actively consult with Gyeonggi Province and thoroughly prepare for the remaining procedures such as the preliminary feasibility study and establishment approval by the central government to ensure successful passage.
◇ Hoam Temple Site Royal Festival, Drone Bot Festival, and Celosia Festival Successfully Held
Yangju Cheonman Song-i Celosia Festival 'Flower Citizen Parade' - Mayor Kang Su-hyun of Yangju waving to citizens in the Goeup downtown area. Photo by Yangju City
Under the theme "Let’s make Yangju Hoam Temple Site known to the world!", the '2024 Yangju Hoam Temple Site Royal Festival' held in May at the Hoam Temple site featured various programs such as the royal procession, K-Hanbok fashion show, healing concert by the Yangju Municipal Art Troupe, and a special stage by 'Myjin,' attracting about 70,000 citizens and concluding successfully.
The '2024 Yangju! Drone Bot Festival' held at Ganap-ri Airfield in Gwangjeok-myeon captivated visitors with the spectacular airshow by the Black Eagles and various attractions. This event, achieved through the unity of civilian, government, and military sectors, has established itself as a representative festival in the western region.
Also, the 'Yangju Ten Million Celosia Festival' held at Nari Farm, a popular autumn outing spot, was held together with the 'Yangju Arts Festival,' combining cultural and artistic performances. The event attracted 190,000 visitors, becoming a nationally representative festival in Korea.
◇ Hoam Temple Relics Returned to Their Original Place after 100 Years
Ven. Hosan, the head monk of Bongseonsa Temple, is transporting the relics from Hoeamsa Temple Site. Provided by Yangju City
Yangju City, together with Hoam Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, held the 'Hoam Temple Relics Transfer Commemorative Cultural Festival and Tea Ceremony' at the Yangju Hoam Temple site.
This event commemorated the transfer of relics of three Buddhas and two Bodhisattvas donated by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and was attended by over 10,000 people.
The relics, returned to their original place after 100 years, highlighted the historical and cultural value of the Yangju Hoam Temple site, a representative cultural heritage of the city, and provided an opportunity to accelerate efforts for UNESCO World Heritage registration.
◇ Designation as an Education Special Zone Pilot Area
Designated as a Pilot Area for Educational Development Special Zone in Yangju City. Provided by Yangju City
Yangju City was selected as a pilot area for the Education Development Special Zone, where local governments and education offices cooperate with universities, industries, and other regional institutions to improve the quality of public education and establish a foundation for nurturing local talent and settlement.
With this designation, up to 10 billion KRW in support, regulatory exemptions, expanded school autonomy, and digital education will be promoted over the next three years.
Additionally, three schools?Yangju Baekseok High School, Yangju High School, and Deokjeong High School?were selected for the Autonomous Public High School 2.0 project, which is expected to further boost education-related initiatives.
As Yangju City sees a noticeable increase in young families in Gyeonggi Province, it plans to establish various customized education policies that combine education and childcare cities with rural areas, creating a child-friendly environment and becoming a city of public education innovation.
◇ Full Weekday Opening of Uiryeong-gil Trail
Yangju City has been promoting forums and campaigns to open the Uiryeong-gil Trail. Photo by Yangju City
Yangju City achieved full weekday opening of the Uiryeong-gil trail through continuous cooperation and discussions with the Korea National Park Service.
Closed in 1969 and limitedly opened by prior reservation since 2008, the city held consultations with Seoul Gangbuk-gu, hosted National Assembly forums, and conducted on-site campaigns for full opening of Uiryeong-gil, resulting in the successful weekday opening.
◇ Efforts by Yangju City and Citizens to Attract an International Skating Rink
Yangju City has been conducting a campaign to attract an international skating rink throughout the entire region. Photo by Yangju City
Yangju City has been holding strategic meetings and relay campaigns to attract an international skating rink, gathering public support through citizen signature drives and events wishing for the rink’s establishment.
With excellent transportation networks such as the GTX-C extension, the opening of the 2nd Ring Expressway, and Subway Line 7, and securing an 110,000㎡ site within Nari Farm, Yangju has an optimal location. The city is fully committed to conveying citizens’ will to the Korea Sports Council and is determined to achieve a favorable outcome.
◇ Promotion of Joint Comprehensive Funeral Facility Construction
Joint Proposal and Press Conference by 6 Cities for the Construction of a Shared Comprehensive Funeral Facility. Provided by Yangju City
The construction project for a joint comprehensive funeral facility in Yangju City is being actively promoted. The city has gone through many procedures, including forming a construction promotion committee, benchmarking other cities, soliciting candidate sites, selecting land, conducting basic planning and feasibility studies, and negotiating joint investment agreements. Currently, the feasibility study by the Korea Institute of Local Administration is underway.
In cooperation with six northeastern Gyeonggi cities?Yangju, Namyangju, Uijeongbu, Guri, Pocheon, and Dongducheon?this project aims to provide high-quality one-stop funeral services and create various rest areas, addressing the shortage of cremation facilities in the region.
◇ Asung Daiso Signs First Tenant Contract in Eunnam General Industrial Complex
Last October, Yangju City signed an agreement with Asung Daiso Co., Ltd. to move into the Eunnam Industrial Complex. Photo by Yangju City
On October 15, the city signed a contract with Asung Daiso Co., Ltd., a member of the 3 trillion KRW sales club, as the first tenant company in the Eunnam General Industrial Complex in Yangju City.
Through this agreement, the city confirmed that Asung Daiso will invest 500 billion KRW to establish the Yangju Hub Center with a total floor area of 173,421㎡.
The center is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 and be completed in 2028, expected to create 800 jobs and contribute to revitalizing the local economy. Daiso plans to innovate logistics and expand its business through its entry into the Eunnam Industrial Complex.
◇ Opening of Paju-Yangju Section of the Seoul Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway... One Step Closer to a Well-Connected Transportation Network
Yang Soo-hyun, Mayor of Yangju City, attended the opening ceremony of the Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway (Ham Jin-gyu, President of Korea Expressway Corporation; Yang Soo-hyun, Mayor of Yangju City; Lee Yong-wook, Director of Seoul Regional Land Management Office, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport). Provided by Yangju City
On the 18th, an opening ceremony was held at the Bukyangju Interchange in Eunhyeon-myeon, Yangju City, for the Seoul Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway (Paju-Yangju section).
The newly opened Paju-Yangju section is a 24.75 km expressway connecting Bugok-ri, Paju-eup, Paju City to Hoam-dong, Yangju City, with the Yangju section covering 16.96 km.
With the opening of this Paju-Yangju expressway, three of the four northern Gyeonggi sections of the Seoul Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway are now connected, except for the Gimpo-Paju section (25.42 km). This expansion of east-west expressway infrastructure is expected to revitalize the regional economy through proximity between residence and workplace.
The city plans to focus administrative capabilities on early opening of the upcoming Gyoeoseon train service resumption, the ongoing Okjeong-Pocheon metropolitan railroad construction, GTX-C line construction, and Seoul-Yangju private expressway construction, establishing a well-connected metropolitan transportation network and advancing as the transportation hub of northern Gyeonggi Province.
◇ Yangju City's Efforts to Become the Central City of Northern Gyeonggi Province
Yangju City, united with its 300,000 citizens, has achieved various awards from central government ministries and Gyeonggi Province, including excellence in local government innovation evaluation, top performance in fine dust reduction in Gyeonggi Province, and best case in regulatory innovation among Gyeonggi cities and counties, establishing itself as the central city of northern Gyeonggi Province.
Additionally, the city has made strides in △ the first UNICEF Child-Friendly City certification in northern Gyeonggi △ lifting of military facility protection zones △ holding the first resident assembly in Yangju △ promoting hydrogen city projects △ pioneering nationwide support structure for unified childcare costs △ confirming two new metropolitan bus routes from Deokjeong to Jamsil and Deokjeong to Byeollae, and resuming airport bus services, all contributing to Yangju’s development through active efforts.
Mayor Kang Suhyun of Yangju said, “The year 2024 was a meaningful year in which Yangju took a step forward as the central city of northern Gyeonggi Province together with its citizens. Thanks to your support and efforts, we achieved various results and laid the foundation for the future. In 2025, we will continue to communicate with citizens and implement diverse policies for them to make Yangju an even better city to live in.”
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