[Hanam City, 3rd Anniversary Citizen Vote for the 8th Elected Mayor]
Strong Support for Self-Sufficient City Strategy and Business Attraction Achievements
"Hanam, a Young City Where Youth Gather" Ranks Second
Comprehensive Childcare from Birth to Care, "Hanam Where Children Are Happy" Takes Third Place
Fourth Place: "Hanam, Safe for Everyone's Daily Life"
Fifth Place: "Hanam, a Walkable City"
Hanam City in Gyeonggi Province ranked first in the "Best Policy Chosen by Citizens" vote held to mark the third anniversary of the 8th term of the elected mayor, with "Hanam, a Great Place for Business" receiving the most votes. This was followed by "A Young City Where Youth Gather" and "Hanam Where Children Are Happy."
Hanam City ranked first in the "Best Policy Chosen by Citizens" vote held to mark the 3rd anniversary of the 8th term of the elected mayor, with "Hanam, a Great Place for Business" receiving the most votes. Photo by Hanam City
According to Hanam City on July 1, policies aimed at making Hanam both a "city where people want to live," blending jobs, education, and care, and a "young city" where youth and businesses grow together, have resonated with citizens.
This online vote was conducted from June 18 to June 25 for Hanam residents, with a total of 1,436 participants. Among the 10 major policies with high citizen engagement, "Hanam, a Great Place for Business" took first place with 243 votes (17%).
The fact that "Hanam, a Great Place for Business" ranked first is interpreted as reflecting citizens' trust in Hanam's self-sufficient city strategy, beyond mere support for development projects. Since the start of the 8th term, Hanam City has focused its administrative capabilities on attracting businesses and building an industrial ecosystem, and these efforts are now yielding tangible results.
In 2023, the city established an institutional foundation by revising the guidelines for lifting development restriction zones and introducing a fast-track system for attracting foreign investment (reducing the process from 42 months to 21 months). This marked a turning point, as the vision for a self-sufficient city was recognized as a feasible urban plan rather than just a concept.
The flagship project, K-Star World, is a large-scale K-culture complex that includes a K-pop concert hall and a film studio, covering everything from content creation to industrialization. It is expected to create about 50,000 jobs and generate 2.5 trillion won in economic benefits, and is considered a key driver of Hanam's future competitiveness.
In particular, K-Star World is conducting a private sector recruitment process this year and plans to enter the full-scale implementation phase next year, including the establishment of a special purpose company (SPC). Hanam City intends to accelerate the realization of a self-sufficient city through continued strategic business attraction and infrastructure expansion.
Additionally, the city is promoting the Camp Colbern urban development project and the development of self-sufficient land in Gyosan New Town. In Gyosan New Town, the plan is to attract advanced industrial facilities based on AI and IT to a 568,000-square-meter self-sufficient site, establishing it as a hub for the metropolitan industrial ecosystem.
As a result, the city has attracted 12 companies, including the (tentatively named) Yonsei Hanam Hospital, Seohee Construction, BC Card R&D Center, and Hanam Bobath Hospital, securing about 2,000 jobs and over 450 hospital beds. A total of 817.9 billion won in private investment is also expected.
Second place went to "Hanam, a Young City Where Youth Gather" (222 votes, 15%).
Lee Hyun Jae, mayor of Hanam (right), is receiving the Grand Prize at the "Child Happiness AWARDS." Provided by Hanam City
Hanam City has established a Youth Employment Division and actively promoted youth-led policy design by operating an honorary youth mayor system and a youth policy advisory group. Practical youth support policies such as employment training subsidies, rental loan interest support, content creation education, and career planning programs have also gained citizens' support.
Participation-based policies are also actively being promoted. The youth cultural classes are held 11 times in total, with about 20 participants per session, focusing on practical and trendy topics. Support for nine youth clubs (167 members in total) has encouraged autonomous networking and activities.
Hanam City is also focusing on practical economic and career support. These policies include up to 2 million won in employment training subsidies, up to 1 million won per year in rental loan interest support for newlyweds, mentoring by employees of large companies, and youth career planning support programs, providing tangible help to young people.
"Hanam, a Young City Where Youth Gather" is not just a policy, but a practical change that gives youth a reason to stay. Hanam City plans to continue designing policies together with youth to create a city chosen and inhabited by young people.
Third place went to "Hanam Where Children Are Happy" (211 votes, 15%), with comprehensive childcare policies from childbirth to parenting and care receiving high marks.
Hanam City operates "Child Love Playgrounds" in areas such as Gam-il and Misa. The indoor facilities are equipped with toys and amenities exclusively for infants and offer free attachment programs that support child development, resulting in high satisfaction among both parents and children.
Policies that reduce the childcare burden for dual-income families are also a strength of Hanam's childcare policy. The "All Together Care Centers," which provide after-school care, have expanded to a total of 13 locations, and the "Morning Care Service," which allows parents to leave their children before school, is provided completely free of charge.
Economic support is also among the best in the country. Hanam City provides up to 20 million won in childbirth incentives, 1 million won in postpartum care subsidies, and a monthly paternity leave allowance of 300,000 won (for up to six months), operating a comprehensive support system to reduce the real burden on families. In particular, the city expands support for families with multiple children, solidifying its foundation as a childbirth-friendly city.
In 2026, the "Children's Center" and the "Children's English Specialized Library" are scheduled to open. These two facilities are expected to become new growth spaces that combine play, learning, and experience as future-oriented childcare infrastructure that fosters children's creativity and activity.
"Hanam, Safe for Everyone's Daily Life" and "Hanam, a Walkable City," which ranked fourth and fifth respectively, reflect high public support for policies that improve citizens' everyday living environments.
Hanam City has expanded pedestrian-centered safety infrastructure through undergrounding power lines in the old downtown and implementing Hanam-style school zones, reducing physical risk factors on walkways and increasing perceived safety. The city has also created premium walking trails in urban areas, including the Misa Hangang Sand Trail, allowing citizens to enjoy nature and maintain their health in daily life. Citizens gave high marks to Hanam's direction as a walkable city that offers healing and relaxation beyond simple walking spaces.
The next most selected fields were ▲"Hanam, a City with Excellent Transportation Connectivity" ▲"Hanam, a City of Music and Culture" ▲"Hanam, a City with Top Civil Services" ▲"Hanam, a City Comfortable for Seniors" ▲"Hanam, a City of Educational Innovation," each receiving a balanced share of votes.
Lee Hyun Jae, mayor of Hanam, stated, "I believe this vote is a direct answer from citizens about the direction our city should take," and added, "We will continue to do our utmost to realize 'a city where people want to live and a city on the rise, Hanam,' where businesses, youth, children, and families all want to stay."
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