Hwaseong Ranks First in Births for Two Consecutive Years: The Secret Is 'New Towns + Companies'

27,000 Large Companies and Dongtan New Town Drive Influx of Young People
Jung Myung-geun, Mayor: "Quality Jobs and Stable Living Conditions Yield Results"

'7,200.' This is the number of babies born in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province last year. This figure marks an increase of nearly 500 compared to the previous year's 6,714. Hwaseong ranked first in the number of births among all basic local governments nationwide for two consecutive years.

Hwaseong's total fertility rate last year was also 1.01, making it the only one among the five special cities in Korea with populations over one million to surpass 1.0. This far exceeds both the national average (0.75) and the Gyeonggi Province average (0.79). The total fertility rate refers to the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her childbearing years.

Hwaseong's top ranking in the number of births suggests the direction population policy should take. The basic but essential premise is that when there are abundant job opportunities and stable living conditions, young people gather and the birth rate rises.

Virtuous Cycle: Influx of Young People → Higher Marriage Rate → Increase in Births

Hwaseong's trend in its youth population runs counter to the overall national trend. In 2019, the number of young people was 256,101, but by last year it had increased by 23,990 to 280,091 over five years. Last year alone, the youth population grew by 4,441 compared to the previous year.

The influx of young people naturally leads to more marriages and subsequently more births. As of last year, Hwaseong's marriage rate among 1,000 young people was 2.0%, the highest among special cities in the Seoul metropolitan area with similar population sizes, such as Suwon (1.8%), Goyang (1.6%), and Yongin (1.6%). The number of births per 1,000 young people was also 25.7, making Hwaseong the only special city to exceed 20. The number of births per 100 marriages was 128.6, showing a significant gap compared to other special cities.

The Secret to Increasing Births: Good Jobs + Housing

The high figures for key indicators such as marriage and birth rates are attributed to 'jobs' and 'housing.'

Hwaseong has the largest number of businesses among basic local governments in Gyeonggi Province, with 121,189 companies. Major corporations such as Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Namyang Research Center are located throughout the city. The number of manufacturing companies stands at 26,689, ranking first in the nation. As companies have concentrated in the area, the region's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) reached 95.1507 trillion won in 2022, maintaining its top position nationwide.

Aerial view of Dongtan Technovalley in Hwaseong. Dongtan New Town, with a population of 410,000, is regarded as a new successful case that differentiates itself from existing new towns primarily serving as bedroom communities by offering abundant job opportunities. Provided by Hwaseong City

The city also boasts residential infrastructure that matches its abundant job opportunities. Dongtan 1 and 2 New Towns, with a combined population of 410,000, were created through two phases of development. Centered around the Gyeongbu Expressway, Dongtan New Town has established itself as a representative new city in the southern Seoul metropolitan area, providing a stable residential environment for nearby companies.

Hwaseong Mayor Jung Myung-geun said, "The low birth rate issue cannot be solved simply by encouraging childbirth," adding, "It depends on how we establish a foundation for young people to work and live." He continued, "We will continue to focus all of the city's policy capabilities on attracting companies and planning residential-centered urban development so that young people can have a stable foundation to work and live."