Incheon Office of Education and Ganghwa County Launch "Ganghwa Education Development Special Zone Regional Council"

The Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education announced on January 20 that it has launched the "Education Development Special Zone Regional Council" in cooperation with Ganghwa County to ensure the successful establishment of the "2026 Ganghwa Education Development Special Zone."

The regional council is a public-private-academic governance body that brings together the Office of Education, local government, related institutions, and local residents. It was established to determine the main policy directions for the operation of the special zone and to strengthen the cooperative framework.

The council, which includes the Superintendent of the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education and the Mayor of Ganghwa County as co-chairs, as well as the working-level task force and representatives of local residents, serves as a control tower that reflects the voices from the field in policy-making.

Dosung Hoon, Superintendent of Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education (left), and Park Yongchul, Mayor of Ganghwa County, are taking a commemorative photo at the first meeting of the Ganghwa Education Development Special Zone Regional Council on January 16. Provided by Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education, 2026.1.16.

At the first council meeting held on January 16, participants agreed to incorporate diverse opinions from the local community into the policy-making process. The meeting also focused on discussing detailed implementation plans for the "Family Stay Rural Study Abroad Program," a core project of the Ganghwa Education Special Zone.

To enhance the effectiveness of detailed planning and project execution, the Office of Education plans to operate a separate "working-level task force" composed of staff from both the Office of Education’s general affairs department and Ganghwa County Office.

An official from the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "We will strengthen cooperation with the local government and develop an educational model that highlights the unique characteristics of Ganghwa County. We will make every effort to ensure that the outcomes of the council’s discussions are reflected in actual projects, leading to qualitative improvements in the Education Development Special Zone initiative."