'Industrial infrastructure essential for Goyang to become self-sufficient city'
Goyang Special City Mayor Min Gyeong-seon met with Jung Woo-jin, head of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Housing Supply Promotion Division, at Goyang City Hall on Thursday to deliver a policy proposal document outlining the city's key pending issues and request active government support.
During the meeting, Min said strengthening Goyang's self-sufficiency functions and building an industrial foundation are critical for the city to emerge as a major regional hub in the northwestern greater Seoul area.
He said active government cooperation is needed on key issues, including securing industrial land allocations, to lay the groundwork for attracting businesses and creating quality jobs.
The policy proposals cover five areas: an immediate allocation of industrial land quotas for Goyang; revision of the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act; incorporation of Beolmal Village into the Changneung district; attracting a Korea Racing Authority racetrack to strengthen the city's self-sufficiency functions; and extending the Goyang-Eunpyeong Line to the Siksa district.
Min said he plans to prioritize key pending issues from the outset of the ninth elected-term administration so that residents can directly feel the effects of policy, and called on the government for active attention and support.
Goyang is currently designated entirely as an overpopulation-control zone under the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act, which restricts the expansion of industrial facilities and the securing of new industrial land allocations. The city plans to first secure the industrial land quotas it critically lacks in order to attract businesses and expand its industrial base, while continuing to call for improvements to the relevant regulatory regime.
Building on that foundation, the city aims to foster future industries by linking with the strong industry-academia-research networks of local universities, research institutions and medical facilities, and to translate that into business attraction and quality job creation. Leveraging local assets — including Korea Aerospace University, Joongbu University, Dongguk University and the National Cancer Center — the city plans to strengthen competitiveness in future industries such as aerospace, urban air mobility and medical biotech, while generating quality employment.
In addition, the city plans to secure new self-sufficiency functions and revitalize the local economy by attracting a Korea Racing Authority racetrack to available land. It also plans to extend the Goyang-Eunpyeong Line from Goyang City Hall to the Siksa district to address the lack of public transit in the Siksa and Pungdong areas and improve residents' access to rail services.
"Building industrial infrastructure through securing industrial land allocations is absolutely essential for Goyang to move beyond being a bedroom community and become a self-sufficient city," Min said. "We will build an urban structure where quality jobs are continuously created, so that businesses want to invest here and young people want to come."
"Expanding the rail network — such as extending the Goyang-Eunpyeong Line — is a vital project that residents can feel directly in their daily lives," he added. "We will do our utmost to work closely with the government so the project proceeds without a hitch, improving residents' mobility and quality of life."
Goyang city said it will continue to work closely with the central government, focusing its administrative resources on ensuring the city's key pending projects are reflected in national policy and carried out without delay.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
