Mayor Donghwan Lee: "We Will Create 300,000 Jobs by 2030"

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Joint Bid for the 2036 Olympics with Seoul City Pursued

"We will create a total of 300,000 jobs by 2030."

On the 13th, Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province, stated at the New Year's press conference held at the Goyang City Arts Center, "We will create 300,000 jobs through various large-scale development projects and rebrand Goyang as a dynamic city by completing the Goyang circular transportation system and cooperating in the bid for the Seoul Olympics."

Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province, held a New Year's press conference on the 13th at the Goyang City Arts Center, explaining the '2030 Job Creation Plan' and other initiatives. Photo by Lee Jong-gu

Mayor Lee Dong-hwan continued, "Goyang, which has experienced fragmented growth focused mainly on residential land development, is now threatened in daily life by even small shocks such as the economic downturn. Just as companies like Starbucks and Apple have renewed their brand images and innovated their products to become global leaders, it is time for Goyang to undergo a comprehensive 'urban rebranding' to become a dynamic and chosen city," he explained.

Mayor Lee presented job creation policy as the top priority core task of the 'Goyang Rebranding.' He said that this year, they will transform the city into a multifunctional urban area that meets various citizen demands such as jobs, culture, and education. The goal is to achieve a total employment effect of 300,000 people by 2030, including jobs brought in by attracting local companies.

The plan includes expanding venture companies to 1,000, creating about 12,000 related jobs, and generating approximately 52,000 jobs through the Ilsan Techno Valley and Goyang Broadcasting and Video Valley, which will be completed in 2026 in advanced industries such as medical care and broadcasting video.

Within the Seongsa Innovation District, they plan to nurture a bio-medical hub by negotiating the establishment of the Luxembourg Goyang Health Research Institute and a GMP facility for viral vector production.

Goyang Special City is also setting a target of more than 90,000 jobs through attracting an economic free zone to be announced in the second half of the year. Over the past two years, a total of 163 investment intentions have been confirmed within the economic free zone, amounting to a total of 6.7 trillion KRW.

Along with this, they have formed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Task Force (TF) and plan to actively introduce AI into policy and administrative services.

Mayor Lee emphasized, "We will brand Goyang as a 'fun city' full of things to do and see, revitalizing tourism-type jobs and commercial districts."

The third exhibition hall of KINTEX is planned to start main construction this year and will be built as an eco-friendly exhibition center. Especially this year, the long-awaited anchor hotel by Goyang City and KINTEX will finally break ground, and a complex parking building with about 1,000 spaces will also be promoted.

Mayor Lee stressed, "Such MICE infrastructure will be a source of sustainable development even after completion."

Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province, held a New Year's press conference at the Goyang City Cultural Center on the 13th, explaining the '2030 Job Creation Plan' and other initiatives. Photo by Goyang Special City

In September, Goyang plans to successfully host the Asia-Pacific Conference, which involves over 190 local governments worldwide, promoting Goyang as a major international event hub globally, and develop KINTEX as a specialized exhibition center for differentiated advanced industries such as robotics, AI, and drones.

Along with the development of the Changneungcheon tourist site, a world-class international botanical garden will also be established.

They plan to expand circular public transportation connecting Daegok Station, KINTEX Station, and non-station areas, operating about 18 bus routes each passing through KINTEX Station and Daegok Station. An eco-friendly transfer parking lot will be created at KINTEX Station.

Additionally, they will build an AI-based shortest and optimal smart transportation network and pilot autonomous buses during late-night hours. They will establish a plan to reorganize Goyang city bus routes to create an efficient transfer system between subway, buses, city buses, and village buses.

They also aim to complete a circular road network connecting Goyang by constructing major road networks such as the extension of Goillo to Daegok and the Jugo-Janghang road.

Meanwhile, Goyang Special City announced plans to jointly pursue the 2036 Olympic Games bid with Seoul City.

Mayor Lee emphasized, "Goyang is not a satellite city of Seoul but a network city sharing destiny, equipped with top-level sports towns nationwide such as Goyang Gymnasium, Goyang Sports Complex, and Ulim Nuri."

Mayor Lee stated, "If Seoul-Goyang and each civil society, sharing the living base beyond the region, unite wholeheartedly to participate in the Olympics, it can have a more positive ripple effect. We will form an Olympic promotion task force (TF) team to focus our capabilities and expand the events hosted within Goyang City so that we can share the economic ripple effects with Seoul City."