A Year of Achievements and Overcoming Crises:
Securing Future Growth Engines and Responding to Heavy Rain Damage
Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi Province has announced the "Top 10 News Stories of Gapyeong County for 2025," selecting the ten issues that had the greatest impact on county administration and the local community throughout the year. The final selection was made by combining recommendations from local journalists in Gapyeong and internal evaluations by the county, narrowing down from an initial list of 30 candidate news stories.
Opening ceremony scene of the 71st Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival held in Gapyeong County last May. Provided by Gapyeong County
The top story is the "Official Designation of Gapyeong County as a Border Area." In March, the government added Gapyeong County to the list of designated border areas during a Cabinet meeting.
As a result, Gapyeong County has secured an institutional foundation to receive various forms of national support, including the application of special tax exemptions for second homes, border area development support projects, and special situation area development initiatives. Through this designation, the county has promoted population inflow, improved residential conditions, and expanded tourism and living infrastructure, marking a turning point in its mid- to long-term growth strategy.
The second-ranked story is the "Successful Hosting of the 71st Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival and the 15th Gyeonggi-do Para Sports Festival." In April and May, Gapyeong County hosted large-scale provincial sports events on Jaraseom Island, welcoming athletes and visitors from all 31 cities and counties in the province. Notably, this was the first time in over 70 years that the county hosted both the Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival and the Para Sports Festival, enhancing the city's brand competitiveness.
The third story is "Disaster Response to Record-Breaking Heavy Rain in July." On July 20, Gapyeong County suffered significant damage, including casualties, landslides, and road washouts, due to an unprecedented downpour. Despite the disaster, the county minimized the spread of damage through on-site, field-oriented responses and cooperation with related agencies, and carried out recovery efforts in phases.
The fourth story is the "Complete Replacement of Gapyeong County's Official Symbol (CI)." After 24 years, Gapyeong County fully replaced its official CI and officially announced a new city image. The new CI, embodying the core values of "change and leap forward," was immediately applied to the county flag and official documents. Through this, the county redefined its administrative brand and worked to improve its external image.
The fifth story is the "Additional Designation as a Peace Economic Zone." With amendments to relevant laws, Gapyeong County now has the institutional foundation to be newly designated as a Peace Economic Zone, and the county has begun work on establishing a basic plan. Gapyeong County is envisioning a unique Peace Economic Zone model that combines its tourism, forestry, and water resources with local characteristics, preparing a new growth axis linked to its border area strategy.
The remaining stories in the top ten are: △Jaraseom Island in Gapyeong officially registered as a "Local Garden" in Gyeonggi Province (6th place) △Gapyeong County achieves its "first results" as a border area, securing 20.3 billion won in national funding (7th place) △One month after the flood, Gapyeong County is recovering rapidly despite deep scars (8th place) △The "Jaraseom Flower Festa" in Gapyeong surpasses 100,000 visitors in just 16 days (9th place) △Gapyeong County appeals for designation as a special disaster area, emphasizing the urgent need for swift national support (10th place).
Gapyeong County stated, "The 2025 Top 10 News Stories selected this time serve as a record confirming the county's crisis response capabilities through disaster recovery and its securing of future growth engines, highlighting the potential for regional development. Building on the achievements and experiences of overcoming adversity in 2025, we will further improve the quality of life for our residents in 2026."
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