Mayor Park Hyeong-deok: "We Will Not Stop Change and Innovation for Citizen Happiness"

[Local Government Head New Year Press Conference] Park Hyung-deok, Mayor of Dongducheon, Gyeonggi
Major Achievements Including GTX, Education Development Zone, and Polytechnic University Attraction
Securing 2025 International Skating Rink and Accelerating National Industrial Complex
Emphasizing Creation of Pet Theme Park and Resolution of US Military Base Issues

"We will steadily promote the GTX-C Line extension project to Dongducheon, revitalize the local economy, and enrich the lives of ordinary citizens."

Mayor Park Hyung-deok of Dongducheon is explaining the achievements of the city administration in 2024 and the operational direction for 2025 during the 2025 New Year Press Communication Briefing on the 7th. Photo by Lee Jong-gu

On the 7th, Park Hyeong-deok, Mayor of Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, held a New Year's press conference and said, "We will not stop change and innovation throughout the year for the happiness of citizens and the development of Dongducheon."

Mayor Park presented five major visions: a vibrant economic city where opportunities open, a welfare city where care is received in daily life, a city of broader future and educational development, a city transforming into a citizen-centered space, and a growing cultural and tourism city.

He cited last year's key achievements as follows: confirmation and economic feasibility of the GTX-C Line extension plan to Dongducheon, selection as a pilot area for the Education Development Special Zone, selection for the Northern Gyeonggi Pet Theme Park contest, maintenance of Dongducheon Post Office's general bureau status and vulnerability in emergency medical fields, and confirmation of attracting the Polytechnic University Dongducheon Campus.

Mayor Park reaffirmed his commitment to proceed with the plan to open Dongducheon simultaneously with the main line scheduled for 2028, following the confirmation in January last year of extending the Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX) C Line to Dongducheon.

He then presented a blueprint to ensure that no residents leave the area due to education by leveraging the selection as an Education Development Special Zone promoted by the government, and to make Dongducheon a city where people want to move for their children's education.

Mayor Park repeatedly emphasized that this year, he will devote all efforts to the enactment of a special law supporting Dongducheon due to the non-return of U.S. military base sites, the creation of a government-led advanced specialized national industrial complex, and the attraction of an international skating rink, which are the biggest current issues for Dongducheon.

Before the press conference, Mayor Park Hyeong-deok, newly appointed Vice Mayor Lee Tae-jin, and city sports officials issued a statement on attracting the international skating rink to Dongducheon.

Mayor Park Hyung-deok of Dongducheon City is delivering a statement on attracting the International Skating Rink and performing an attraction performance ahead of the 2025 New Year's press briefing on the 7th. Photo by Lee Jong-gu

Mayor Park said, "Dongducheon is a city that has led Korean ice sports, with excellent transportation conditions, natural environment, and expansion potential," and expressed his determination, "We will use the attraction of the international skating rink as an opportunity to take Dongducheon to the next level."

Mayor Park stated, "Since taking office in 2022, we have worked tirelessly for Dongducheon's leap forward, resulting in unprecedented major SOC and projects in Dongducheon's history such as GTX, the Education Development Special Zone, the Pet Theme Park, and the Polytechnic University," and added, "In 2025, based on these achievements, we will produce more tangible results that citizens can feel."

Mayor Park said, "We started the new year of Eulsa with a briefing with journalists, which was a meaningful time to openly share opinions about city administration," and added, "We will strengthen communication administration through regular press briefings in the future."