Dongducheon City Launches Comprehensive Mid- to Long-Term Development Plan
A Roadmap for Progress Proposed Directly by Dongducheon Citizens
Dongducheon City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Park Hyungdeok) has officially begun the process of establishing a 'mid- to long-term comprehensive development plan' that reflects the voices of its citizens.
On May 15, Dongducheon City announced that it is exploring the future direction of the city's development by recently releasing the results of a citizen survey conducted over 15 days from April 4 to April 18.
A total of 2,205 citizens participated in the survey, demonstrating significant interest. By age group, respondents in their 30s and 40s accounted for 43.2% of the total. By gender, 813 men (36.9%) and 1,258 women (57.1%) participated, ensuring a balanced reflection of opinions from various demographics.
According to the survey results, citizens identified the 'prolonged non-return of U.S. military base sites' as the biggest obstacle to the development of Dongducheon City. As priority solutions to this issue, they proposed: ▲ government-led development of the base sites, ▲ presentation of a clear timeline for their return, and ▲ enactment of a special law to support Dongducheon.
Regarding the direction for developing the U.S. military base sites, most respondents indicated that establishing industrial facilities and commercial·distribution facilities would be most appropriate. This reflects the perception among citizens that resolving this issue is key to the region's economic recovery, given that approximately 70% of the nation's unreturned U.S. military base sites are concentrated in Dongducheon.
Additionally, the most frequently chosen vision for Dongducheon's future was to become a 'self-sustaining industrial economic city,' and there was a high level of expectation for fostering industries to build a foundation for regional self-reliance.
As Dongducheon's strengths, citizens cited its 'pristine natural environment and ecological healing resources.' The main policy demands included improvement of the rail network, creation of youth jobs, and attraction of public medical institutions.
Based on the results of this survey, Dongducheon City plans to conduct additional expert consultations and in-depth interviews and to establish practical mid- to long-term development strategies tailored to local circumstances.
A Dongducheon City official stated, "We will develop sustainable urban development strategies based on the valuable opinions of our citizens," adding, "We will also actively consider the issue of the U.S. military base sites in connection with the recovery of the regional economy."
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