Hampyeong County to Build Traffic Safety Education Center by 2029

Expected to Create 330 Jobs and Generate 20 Billion Won in Added Value

Hampyeong County in South Jeolla Province announced on January 2 that, following the final inclusion of the Korea Road Traffic Authority Traffic Safety Education Center construction project in this year's National Assembly plenary session budget, it will begin full-scale project implementation with the goal of opening in 2029.

This project, overseen by the National Police Agency and implemented by the Korea Road Traffic Authority, is a national public education infrastructure initiative with a total budget of 42.4 billion won, fully funded by the central government. The plan is to operate a task force team at the authority in 2026, proceed with design and approval procedures next year, and aim for a phased opening in 2029.

The Traffic Safety Education Center will be built as a comprehensive educational facility on a site of 22,046 square meters, with a total floor area of 11,700 square meters. It will include educational and research facilities, traffic safety education spaces, and a safety experience center.

Currently, the Korea Road Traffic Authority provides traffic safety education to more than 12,000 people annually, including employees and police officers. However, due to the lack of its own educational facilities, it has relied on external institutions. This has led to ongoing issues such as limitations in scheduling and location, constraints in offering customized education, and difficulties in accumulating educational expertise.

Recognizing these challenges, Hampyeong County proactively positioned itself as a national hub for traffic safety education, leveraging strengths such as transportation accessibility, sufficient land availability, and a location suitable for integrating nature- and experience-based education.

Starting with a basic concept study in 2023, the county signed a business agreement with the Korea Road Traffic Authority in January 2024. After securing government funding and conducting a feasibility study, the project achieved a benefit-cost ratio (B/C) of 1.0391 in November last year, confirming its economic viability. A benefit-cost analysis compares the costs invested in a project with the benefits generated, and a ratio greater than 1 indicates economic feasibility.

The construction of the Hampyeong Traffic Safety Education Center is expected to resolve these structural limitations and serve as a turning point for enhancing both expertise and immersion in road traffic safety education. In addition to strengthening educational functions, it is projected to generate complex ripple effects that benefit both the region and the nation.

Upon opening, the center is expected to provide traffic safety education to 13,610 people annually, with 19 resident staff members from the authority assigned to further enhance the stability and professionalism of its operations.

In the future, the center also plans to operate traffic safety education programs for emergency vehicle drivers. Currently, such training is limited due to a lack of practical facilities, but at the Hampyeong center, hands-on education using police patrol cars and motorcycles will become possible.

Additionally, the center will establish a joint utilization system with public institutions in South Jeolla Province that lack their own educational facilities, thereby reducing costs and improving operational efficiency. It also aims to serve as an experiential social education hub for up to 350,000 people annually in regions with low access to traffic safety education, such as South Jeolla, North Jeolla, Chungcheong, and South Gyeongsang provinces.

By linking the education center with local tourism resources such as Hampyeong Ecological Park, Dolmeori Beach, and year-round festivals, the county expects to attract more visitors and have a positive impact on revitalizing the local economy.

Furthermore, the construction of the education center is anticipated to create approximately 330 jobs, generate about 45 billion won in local production activities, and create around 20 billion won in added value, resulting in significant ripple effects throughout the regional economy.

To ensure smooth project implementation, Hampyeong County will actively support administrative procedures such as district unit plan changes and construction permits, and will also promote various support measures including a 100-won taxi service for trainees, infrastructure support, and free use of idle facilities within the ecological park.

A Hampyeong County official stated, "Attracting the Traffic Safety Education Center is more than just building a facility; it marks Hampyeong's leap forward as a key region supporting national safety policy," adding, "We will achieve both the successful implementation of this national project and mutual growth with the local community."