Cheongdo County Declares 'Year of Leap and Completion'... Accelerating the Realization of a Future-Oriented City of Happiness

Stabilizing the Era of a 750 Billion Won Main Budget
All-Out Efforts for Early Completion of Five Core Projects
Doubling Farm Household Income and Establishing a Comprehensive Lifelong Care System

Cheongdo County (Governor Kim Hasu) announced in its New Year's address on January 2 that, "We will make Byeongo Year, the final year of the 8th popularly elected administration, a 'Year of Leap and Completion.' Building on our achievements so far, we will strive to make this a year that enhances the completeness of Cheongdo as a future-oriented city of happiness, where all residents can feel the progress and grow together."

Over the past year, Cheongdo County secured 42 national and provincial government-funded projects totaling 226 billion won, minimizing the county's own budget burden to 9.6%. The county also ushered in an unprecedented era of a 750 billion won main budget (756.3 billion won).

Kim Hasu, the mayor of Cheongdo County, declared 2026 as "The Year of Leap and Completion" in his New Year's address. Photo by Cheongdo County

Additionally, Cheongdo County's administrative capabilities were recognized externally by winning awards such as the "Korea Environment Grand Prize" for six consecutive years, the "Korea New Leader Grand Prize in Local Government Administration," and being named an "Excellent Institution for Innovation and Proactive Administration" by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, winning two awards in this category.

In the agricultural and food sector, Cheongdo ranked first among counties in export volume (84.3 billion won), was selected as the "Best Institution for Agricultural Policy Evaluation" for six consecutive years, and created an 80-hectare Innovation Agriculture Town in Gakbuk-myeon, promoting cooperative farming and double cropping. As a result, farm household incomes have more than tripled, achieving tangible results.

The "Cheongdo Nature Dream Park," with a total value of 350 billion won (including more than 250 billion won in private investment), was designated and announced as Cheongdo County's first general industrial complex, emerging as a key hub for the local economy. The establishment of "Cheongdo Imagination Maru" (bus transfer center, gym, etc.) and the "Bitnarae Imagination Madang Water Playground" further expanded the foundation for daily convenience and leisure.

Furthermore, through projects such as the "Cheongdo 10,000 Won Housing Project," the operation of a 24-hour free childcare center, a support system providing up to 257 million won throughout the life cycle, and being designated as the first lifelong learning city for people with disabilities among counties in North Gyeongsang Province (as well as being re-designated as a lifelong learning city), Cheongdo has been evaluated as a city that is steadily strengthening its residential, care, and educational infrastructure, establishing itself as a city where people can give birth, raise children, and choose to stay.

Governor Kim defined 2026 as "a critical period for completing the framework for Cheongdo's development," and presented the following as the county's core administrative goals: doubling farm household incomes through the expansion of smart agriculture, establishing a comprehensive lifelong care system, and the early completion of five key projects-Urban Regeneration New Deal, Regional Vitality Town, Premium Forest Healing Center, Artist Creative Space, and the construction of a new public health center.

He also announced six major administrative initiatives for Cheongdo's future growth, emphasizing that the focus of administration will always be on the residents and on a hopeful future of leap and completion.

In the welfare sector, Cheongdo will expand community care centers and shared childcare spaces, increase native English education, create 400 additional jobs through the Cheongdo Senior Club, and build a new public health center to establish a welfare environment where all generations can feel secure.

In the residential city sector, Cheongdo will create residential, startup, and cultural complexes centered on the Urban Regeneration New Deal (49.6 billion won) and Regional Vitality Town (40.9 billion won), supply a total of 136 public rental housing units, and simultaneously pursue the renovation of vacant houses to improve residents' living environments.

For the smart safety city sector, Cheongdo will establish an intelligent integrated control system and an early disaster warning system, and raise the sewerage supply rate to 88% through a 260 billion won public-private partnership project for public sewer pipelines (BTL).

In the agricultural sector, Cheongdo will transition to a high-income agricultural structure that responds to the climate crisis and expand the Innovation Agriculture Town model to all towns and townships.

Additionally, through the "Cheongdo Persimmon Non-Product Resource Center," the county will process and commercialize non-marketable persimmons to increase farm income, and through the operation of "Miri Stay," it will strengthen the settlement and exchange base for returnees to farming, rural migrants, and young people.

Furthermore, Cheongdo plans to successfully establish the "Agricultural Education Information Center" and "Agricultural Workforce Accommodation" to comprehensively support agricultural technology education and workforce supply, thereby realizing a "returning rural community."

In the culture, arts, and tourism sector, the "Premium Forest Healing Center Project" will invest 18 billion won to create forest houses and forest experience centers, and expand the foundation for stay-type eco-tourism in connection with the Seonggok Dam Ecotourism Belt, Dongchang-gil Historic Exploration Trail, and Yudeung-ri Ecological Exploration Trail.

Cheongdo also plans to establish a "Lifestyle Culture Complex Center" and an "Artist Creative Space," and to expand the Cheongdo Night Tour Project, aiming to become a cultural, arts, and tourism hub city where everyday and traditional culture blend harmoniously.

In the education and youth sector, Cheongdo will expand the Cheongdo Lifelong Learning Happiness Center and launch a graduate program at Onnuri University, broadening the foundation for all generations to learn together.

Through the "Cheongdo Human Resources Development Department" and the "Glocal University 30 Project," the county will nurture region-specific talent, establish the "054 Space" as a youth cultural complex, and create regional communication and cooperation spaces, thereby providing a foundation for youth startups and challenges. Cheongdo aims to expand youth jobs from 500 to 600, accelerating the creation of a youth-friendly city where young people work, stay, and return.

Cheongdo County plans to build a sustainable foundation for future growth by achieving a population of 50,000, creating 1,200 youth jobs, and realizing a per capita GRDP of 40 million won through the "Vision 2040 Mid- to Long-Term Development Plan" and the "County Master Plan."

Governor Kim Hasu stated in the New Year's message for Byeongo Year, "With the spirit of haengwonposhin (moving forward and embracing the new), we will open a new future for Cheongdo where children, youth, and seniors alike can live with peace of mind, and together with our residents, we will make Cheongdo the happiest city in Korea."