Yangju City Named Top Local Government in "Korea Makeover" Initiative... Secures 100 Million Won Special Grant

Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province has been selected as the top local government nationwide in the "Korea Makeover" initiative evaluation, organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, securing a special grant of 100 million won.

Panoramic view of Yangju City Hall. Provided by Yangju City.

The "Korea Makeover" is a nationwide environmental cleanup campaign led by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, launched to improve the overall environment of the country and create a clean urban image ahead of the Chuseok holiday and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

The evaluation was conducted for all 243 local governments nationwide, comprehensively considering publicity and education performance, policy cooperation, resident participation, and the results of the cleanup efforts.

Yangju City carried out a large-scale cleanup campaign from September 22 to October 1, involving all towns, townships, and neighborhoods. During this period, more than 2,700 people, including public officials, social organizations, and local residents, participated to focus on cleaning up vulnerable areas such as major roads, tourist attractions, and rivers in daily life.

In particular, the city received high marks for expanding a citizen-led cleanup initiative, where residents and social organizations directly suggested areas in need of improvement and continued environmental cleanup activities in a relay format. The city's efforts to establish a regular, village-level maintenance system, rather than limiting the campaign to a one-time event, also demonstrated the potential to foster a resident-centered culture of environmental management.

Furthermore, the simultaneous participation of all towns, townships, and neighborhoods allowed for effective on-site publicity and education about the campaign's purpose and participation methods. The high participation rate and tangible environmental cleanup results achieved within a short campaign period were also cited as major reasons for Yangju City's selection as the top local government.

A city official stated, "This achievement as the top local government is the result of collaboration between citizens and social organizations," adding, "We will continue to systematically manage a clean and pleasant urban environment by carrying out large-scale cleanups in conjunction with holidays such as Chuseok and Seollal, as well as local festivals."