Taebaek City Extends 'Highland Sports Training Center Special Zone' Approval Until 2029

Strengthening the Status as the Nation's Only Highland Sports Training Mecca
A New Leap Forward for Sports City Taebaek... Boosting Local Economic Vitality

Taebaek City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Lee Sangho) announced on January 2 that the plan to revise the 'Taebaek Highland Sports Training Center Special Zone' was approved and officially announced by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on December 30.

Taebaek City Hall exterior. Provided by Taebaek City

The Taebaek Highland Sports Training Center Special Zone was first designated as a regionally specialized development zone on June 28, 2005, to strategically foster the sports industry by utilizing its high-altitude location, averaging over 900 meters above sea level, and its cool summer climate. This initiative was launched in response to population decline and regional economic contraction following the 1989 coal industry rationalization policy.

With this approval, the designation period for the special zone has been extended by four years, from the original 2005-2025 to 2029. The designated area covers 6,622,000 square meters, including the Mungok-dong No. 1 area.

Specialized projects being promoted include the development of a high-altitude training center town (construction of Seohak Leisure Complex and Taebaek Athletes' Village) and the creation of a multi-sports town (establishment of Taebaek Sports Park facilities).

Additionally, within the special zone, regulatory exemptions are applied to three areas: the Act on the Management of Outdoor Advertisements and Promotion of Outdoor Advertising Industry (Special Act on Regional Specialized Development, Article 34), the Act on Funeral Services, etc. (Article 43), and the Act on Installation and Use of Sports Facilities (Article 66). These exemptions provide a foundation for more rapid and efficient implementation of sports infrastructure and specialized projects.

Taebaek City determined that utilizing these regulatory exemptions was necessary to continue maintaining and managing the existing sports infrastructure while also advancing the planned sports infrastructure projects. Based on this, the city applied for an extension of the special zone and aims to strengthen its city brand as the 'Mecca of High-Altitude Training Centers, Sports City Taebaek' to secure momentum for revitalizing the local economy.

As the nation’s only high-altitude sports training center special zone, Taebaek annually hosts various national and provincial sports competitions and visiting training teams. In 2025, the city achieved results with 59 national and provincial-level sports events attracting 338,060 participants, and 72 training teams with 13,593 members visiting for off-season training.

A Taebaek City official stated, "We will continue to expand sports infrastructure, including the establishment of a training cluster, to attract more sports events and training teams. By strengthening support for visiting athletes, we aim to make a tangible contribution to revitalizing the local economy."