Gyeonggi Province to Invest 43.3 Trillion Won in Eastern Region by 2040, Promoting Major Development

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gapdong] Gyeonggi Province has decided to pursue regional economic growth and balanced development through deregulation by constructing 18 roads and 13 railways in the eastern Gyeonggi region through public-private cooperation and investment of 34 trillion won by 2040.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon of Gyeonggi Province announced this plan at a declaration ceremony for the 'inaugural year of Gyeonggi East SOC major development' at Jinjeop Station in Namyangju on the 2nd.

Governor Kim stated, "Today we take the first step in major eastern development. We will establish plans within this year and work step by step through consultation with the central government," and added, "It will be a grand plan with participation from the government, Gyeonggi Province, and the private sector."

The Gyeonggi eastern region has been neglected in terms of administrative and financial capacity due to development focused on the Gyeongbu axis, and overlapping regulations have resulted in insufficient infrastructure such as roads and railways, causing the pain of low growth.

In fact, seven cities and counties—Gapyeong, Namyangju, Yangpyeong, Gwangju, Yeoju, Icheon, and Yongin—which fall under the natural preservation zone according to the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act, have been restricted in development by six or more overlapping regulations including greenbelt, water source protection zones, facilities installation restriction zones, special countermeasure zones, and riparian zones. This has restricted urban development scale to 500,000 square meters and industrial complexes to 60,000 square meters, leading to criticism that it results not only in the suffering of underdevelopment but also in haphazard development and environmental destruction.

Additionally, the road density ratio in the eastern region (road length per 1㎢) is 0.82, which is only 56% of the Gyeonggi Province average (1.46) and 16% of the Gyeongbu axis (5.11), identified as an obstacle to development and growth.

In response, the province views expansion of social infrastructure (SOC) and deregulation as essential for the development and improvement of the Gyeonggi eastern region. The investment scale through this plan is 33.9 trillion won in social infrastructure (SOC), and private development investment scale is 9.4 trillion won, bringing the total investment scale to 43.3 trillion won.

Looking at the social infrastructure (SOC) plan, by 2040, △16.2 trillion won will be allocated to 18 road routes including the extension of National Route 84 between Yongin and Yeoju, and △17.7 trillion won to 13 railway routes including GTX D, totaling 33.9 trillion won. Gyeonggi Province expects secondary arterial networks and detailed transportation networks to be sequentially built based on this main transportation network.

For deregulation, the province plans to ease urban planning review standards to support private development projects such as golf courses and resorts through the Gyeonggi Province level and establish and operate a development support consultation center. At the national level, the province will pursue revision of the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act enforcement decree to abolish the 500,000 square meter limit on urban development projects in the Gyeonggi East natural environment preservation zone and expand the industrial complex size limit from 60,000 square meters to 300,000 square meters. Additionally, the province plans to actively review revisions to the Hangang River System Act to include riparian zones in the Han River system in the eastern region in urban development project areas and plan them as parks to allow planned preservation of riparian areas or rational adjustment and improved utilization and accessibility of riparian zones.

Through these deregulation measures and SOC plan, the province anticipates that private development investment will be activated and private development project investment scale—including station-area urban development and golf course and resort tourism complex development—will reach approximately 9.4 trillion won.

Beyond large-scale roads and railways, the province will further expand emotional infrastructure including the existing Gyeonggi Durumgil (860 km), Gyeonggi Old Paths (685 km), and metropolitan bicycle roads (836 km) at a broader level and support eco-friendly tourism revitalization in connection with cities and counties. Through this, local residents, local business owners, local planners, and cities and counties are expected to work together to reinterpret local resources and grow and develop the region through a 'Liquidpolitan (fluid and flexible city)' strategy that cultivates signature stores.

The province estimates the production inducement effect through the Gyeonggi East SOC major development plan at 85.6 trillion won and the value-added inducement effect at 36.1 trillion won.

The province plans to develop and concretize this plan through expert consultation, research projects, and consultation with cities and counties by June, announce an interim plan in July, undergo a deliberation process to gather public opinion, and announce the final plan by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the province plans to hold a 'declaration ceremony for the inaugural year of Gyeonggi West SOC major development' at Siwu Station in Ansan on the 6th.