Mayor Won Gangsoo: "Gangwon Innovation City Ranks First Nationwide for Overcrowded Classes... Provincial Office of Education Must Act"

Based on Gangwon Research Institute's findings,
Gangwon Innovation City faces the nation's highest overcrowded class rate at 67.5%
Wonju City urges decisive action from Gangwon Provincial Office of Education
Urgency grows ahead of second wave of public institution relocations

Wonju City, which continues to see steady population growth, has strongly urged the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education to make a decisive and forward-looking decision regarding the establishment of a new high school in order to address the chronic deterioration of educational conditions in the Innovation City.

Won Kangsoo, mayor of Wonju City, is announcing the results of the "Study on Diagnosis and Improvement Measures in the Field of Educational Environment in Innovation Cities," conducted through the Gangwon Research Institute on the 22nd. Provided by Wonju City

On January 22, Mayor Won Gangsoo of Wonju announced the results of a recent study conducted through the Gangwon Research Institute, titled "Study on Diagnosis and Improvement Measures in the Field of Educational Environment in Innovation Cities," and stated that the educational environment in Gangwon Innovation City is the most inadequate among all innovation cities nationwide.

According to the research report, the average rate of overcrowded classes in high schools across innovation cities nationwide, based on Ministry of Education standards, is 16.4%. In contrast, Gangwon Innovation City’s rate is as high as 67.5%. This figure is overwhelmingly higher than other innovation cities such as Daegu (26%) and Jeonbuk (13.7%), placing Gangwon Innovation City at the top of the list for overcrowded classes in the country.

Mayor Won particularly criticized the issue of long commutes for male students, who have no school to attend within the Innovation City, and the resulting infringement on educational equity.

He emphasized, "This issue goes beyond the scope of educational administration and is directly linked to citizens’ right to reside in the city. Rather than simply observing from the sidelines based on administrative boundaries, the Provincial Office of Education must offer solutions from the perspective of citizens’ lives."

Wonju City has previously gathered input from on-site meetings with relocated public institutions and labor unions, and has repeatedly appealed to the educational authorities. However, the Provincial Office of Education has failed to provide clear alternatives, citing declining school-age population and statistical indicators as reasons.

The background behind Mayor Won’s strong demand for a new school is the rapid growth of Wonju City. Wonju is the only city in Gangwon Province with a growing population, which reached 363,194 as of the end of last year.

Mayor Won warned, "Wonju is a city with significant potential in advanced industries such as semiconductors and AI, and is preparing for a second round of public institution relocations that will be realized soon. Educational infrastructure is a key residential condition that determines the city’s sustainable development. If we do not make a decision now, we risk losing future growth opportunities."

Won Gangsoo, mayor of Wonju City, is announcing the results of the "Study on Diagnosis and Improvement Measures in the Field of Educational Environment in Innovation Cities," conducted through the Gangwon Research Institute on the 22nd. Provided by Wonju City

As a key initiative of his eighth term as an elected mayor, Mayor Won is pursuing the vision of an "economic and educational city." By calling for the establishment of a new school, he aims to create a virtuous cycle in which education drives the local economy. Based on the results of this study, the city has formally proposed that the Provincial Office of Education actively respond to the Ministry of Education’s central investment review.

Mayor Won Gangsoo reiterated, "There should never be a situation where citizens have to leave Wonju for their children's education," and once again urged, "The Gangwon Provincial Office of Education must now provide a forward-looking response regarding the establishment of a new school, which is the fundamental solution to the educational environment in the eastern part of Wonju, including the Innovation City."