Lee Sang-il, "I Will Make Yongin Special City the Most Dynamic City"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] Yongin Special City has begun comprehensive urban spatial planning aimed at achieving metropolitan-level status, completely restructuring its basic urban development plan.

The city, amid rapid population growth as it emerges as a semiconductor hub, plans to reconfigure urban space structure by adding secondary urban centers and substantially expanding infrastructure including roads and railways.

Mayor Lee Sang-il announced at a press briefing on the 2nd anniversary of taking office for the 8th elected term held on the afternoon of July 11 at the Ace Hall of Yongin City Hall: "Adapting to the new environment of 'creating the world's largest semiconductor mega cluster,' we plan to reset city structure and functions, and develop a large city capable of smoothly performing Korea's semiconductor hub functions."

Mayor Lee explained △ development of an advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex in Idong and Namsa eunps △ designation of semiconductor national advanced strategic industry special zones in three Yongin locations including the national industrial complex △ creation of a semiconductor-specialized new city in Idong-eup △ lifting of the water source protection zone in Songtan △ resolution of issues regarding the former National Police University site, describing the major achievements and sector-by-sector implementation status during the 2 years of the 8th elected term before introducing the city's long-term development vision.

As the city emerges as a semiconductor hub with rapid population growth at metropolitan level, the city expressed its determination to construct a commensurate city and actively expand essential infrastructure including roads and railways.

President Yoon Suk-yeol previously stated on March 25 during a civil affairs discussion meeting held at Yongin City Hall: "When the semiconductor cluster, national industrial complex, and Yongin Idong new city are all developed, Yongin's population is expected to exceed 1.5 million in the future."

Mayor Lee stated, "Yongin is on a path of growth beyond special city status toward becoming a metropolitan-level city."

With Yongin's total population having surpassed 1.1 million in late May, urban development experts note that preparations are necessary to accommodate growth to 1.5 million by developing an additional city comparable to Bundang New City. Even if the semiconductor-specialized new city in Idong-eup accommodates approximately 40,000 residents, the city must accommodate approximately 360,000 additional residents, which is similar to Bundang's population.

Mayor Lee explained: "Since Yongin has spatial room for urban growth, we plan to consider a metropolitan-level city while securing sufficient transportation infrastructure, and simultaneously refining a concept that combines planned city characteristics with existing aging urban areas formed haphazardly."

The city will consider that there are many undeveloped areas in Pocheok and Mohyeon eunps of Cheoin-gu and in areas like Wonsam and Baekam-myeons, and that when the Songtan water source protection zone is lifted, 64.43㎢—eight times the area of Yeouido—will be released from restrictions.

The city plans to reflect these large-city spatial concepts in its Yongin Basic Urban Plan established every five years and the Deteriorated Planned City Improvement Plan initiated by the government. This represents a fundamentally different approach compared to small-scale revisions made to the previously established 2035 Yongin Basic Urban Plan.

Rather than simply increasing residential areas, Mayor Lee announced the city will focus on expanding road networks such as semiconductor expressway construction and National Route 45 expansion, and transportation improvements including extension of the national railway Gyeonggang Line, while maintaining and improving nature-friendly spaces.

Mayor Lee said the city will also consider strengthening planned city characteristics through large-scale integrated development of existing urban areas in Suji-gu and Giheung-gu formed haphazardly, expanding infrastructure such as roads and parks, cultural and arts facilities such as museums and art galleries, and reinforcing central business district functions.

Since sufficient infrastructure such as roads and parks, and cultural and arts facilities such as art galleries and museums are needed to revitalize central business district functions while maintaining diverse public contributions, the city is also researching methods to appropriately utilize floor area ratio and building coverage ratio incentives.

■ "We Work Not Just in Words, But Through Actions That Achieve Change and Results Over Two Years"

Mayor Lee also provided detailed accounts of major achievements and sector-by-sector implementation status during the two years since taking office.

Of the mayor's 212 campaign pledges, 93% are proceeding normally, and 47% (99 projects) have already been completed. Since there are so many major achievements not included in campaign pledges, the 8th elected term is being evaluated as significantly different from the previous 7th elected term. It is also significantly differentiated compared to achievements of similar local governments. In particular, attracting the advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex, lifting the Songtan water source protection zone, creating the semiconductor-specialized new city, and exempting the National Route 45 expansion project from preliminary feasibility studies are being evaluated as achievements that greatly accelerate the city's development.

Mayor Lee stated: "The evaluation by Yongin's public employees union of my two years likely stems from demonstrating genuine commitment to Yongin's future, city development, and improving citizens' quality of life not through words but through actions. I have felt many times during these two years that when we work not just in words, lead not merely with rhetoric in civil affairs, but achieve change through work and results, and look after people's livelihoods through action, sincerity reaches citizens' hearts."

Regarding national industrial complex development, Mayor Lee explained: "As the Korea Land and Housing Corporation submitted an application for industrial complex plan approval to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on April 17, administrative procedures necessary for approval including environmental impact assessments and climate impact assessments are currently underway."

Mayor Lee secured designation as semiconductor national advanced strategic industry special zones for three locations covering 3.89 million pyeong: the advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex in Idong and Namsa eunps, the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster in Wonsam-myeon, and Samsung's Future Research Complex in Nongseo-dong, establishing legal grounds for receiving full government support.

The government has announced plans to develop the Idong-eup residential complex of approximately 16,000 households as a high-tech new city incorporating the concept of working, living, and enjoying leisure. The city plans to advance the new city's move-in timing by approximately 2-3 years from the original plan (2034).

■ Secondary Achievements of "National Industrial Complex" Including Songtan Water Source Protection Zone Lifting

Mayor Lee explained: "Attracting the advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex has led to many secondary achievements, with the agreement to lift the Songtan water source protection zone being a prime example."

On April 17, the city concluded a win-win cooperation agreement with relevant organizations including Pyeongtaek City involving lifting the Songtan water source protection zone. As a result, an area next year's upper half—eight times the size of Yeouido, 1.8 times the area of Gwacheon City—will be released from 45 years of restrictions.

Mayor Lee noted: "Another secondary achievement of attracting the national industrial complex is that road and railway connections are expected to receive momentum, and various school establishments including semiconductor high schools will be connected, dramatically improving educational conditions."

The Gyeonggang Line extension, a national railway project, found new alternative routes together with Gwangju City since the 8th elected term began, confirming business viability with cost-benefit ratio of 0.92. Mayor Lee said he is working to include the Gyeonggang Line extension project in the 5th National Railway Network Development Plan next year.

Mayor Lee also explained a plan to establish a new Gyeonggi South-west Metropolitan Railway (Seoul Jamsil Stadium Station~Seoser~Seongnam~Yongin Sinbong and Seongbok-dong~Suwon~Hwaseong Bongdam), serving as an alternative route to the Seoul Subway Line 3 Yongin Suji extension, and said efforts are underway with Seongnam, Suwon, and Hwaseong cities to include this project in the 5th National Railway Network Plan. Regarding the Bundang Line Giheung Station-Osan University Station extension project included in the 4th railway network plan, he explained that attempts are being made to enhance economic feasibility through reflection of Idong-eup new city, Idong and Namsa-eup national industrial complex, and Osan Segyo new city development plans.

Regarding semiconductor expressway construction (Hwaseong Yanggam~Yongin Namsa and Idong~Anseong Iljuk), a campaign pledge by Mayor Lee, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has recognized feasibility and set a policy to proceed with private investment, currently conducting a feasibility study commissioned to the Korea Development Institute (KDI) Public Investment Management Center.

The semiconductor high school establishment passed the Ministry of Education's central investment screening in April, confirming opening in March 2026. The city is actively promoting establishment of science high schools and art high schools, as well as designation of Baekam High School and Samgyeong High School as autonomous public high schools.

The city expects rapid progress in multiple road network expansion plans including expanding National Route 45 from 4 lanes to 8 lanes. Mayor Lee strongly advocated for and realized government feasibility study exemption for National Route 45 expansion. Consequently, National Route 45 expansion is expected to advance by more than 3 years, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026 and be completed by the second half of 2030 when the national industrial complex's first semiconductor fab begins operation.

■ Resolving Long-Standing Chronic Problems Systematically

Mayor Lee of the 8th elected term secured agreement on lifting the Songtan water source protection zone that had plagued Yongin for 45 years. He has resolved numerous challenges including normalizing the long-stalled Eonnam District development.

The Eonnam District public-supported private rental housing project on the former National Police University site had languished for 8 years as Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) initially excessively planned 6,626 households, but after Mayor Lee took office, the project entered a path of normal progress reflecting the city's demands. The city reduced the number of households by approximately 20% from the initial plan (fewer than 5,400 households) and had 6 of 7 major traffic measures implemented. In particular, LH agreed to bear 29.5% of costs for Dongbaek IC installation, reducing the city's burden, and planned to establish and improve surrounding traffic networks.

Regarding Goggi Bridge, which formed a bottleneck in Suji-gu's Dongmak Stream, causing flood concerns every summer, Mayor Lee met with the Seongnam mayor on July 2, the day after taking office in 2022, and reached agreement on reconstruction. He also pushed through changes to Dongmak Stream's basic river plan with Gyeonggi Province, creating an opportunity to dramatically improve roads in the Goggi-dong area that had experienced chronic traffic congestion.

For the 3.7㎢ area of Pocheok-eup subject to overlapping restrictions from military facility protection zones and waterside zones, making it difficult for citizens to exercise property rights, the city is pointing out issues to the Ministry of Environment and proceeding with administrative procedures for lifting restrictions.

Construction of Provincial Route 315, which had been suspended due to the government's plans for underground expressway, resumed in November last year after convincing the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport with an alternative of adjusting longitudinal gradient, and is scheduled for completion by year-end next year.

For Samga District Phase 2, where 1,950 households of public-supported private rental housing were completed but could not be occupied due to internal divisions within the Yeoksam District cooperative over opening an access road, the city resolved the issue through consultation with the Office of Ombudsman by opening an alternative access road.

■ Blooming Culture and Dramatically Improving Educational Environment

The 8th elected term Yongin Special City, which presented "Yongin Renaissance" as its vision, is achieving tremendous results in culture and education sectors.

Gyeonggi Province successfully hosted the "42nd Korean Drama Festival Yongin," held for the first time in 18 years, elevating the city to cultural hub status at once. Beyond introducing the Yongin stage to many theater artists by appointing veteran actor Lee Soon-jae as honorary festival chairman, the city also hosted the 1st Korean University Drama Festival simultaneously, creating an opportunity to introduce young theater artists to Yongin as a cultural city.

Upon completion of the drama festival, the city plans to invest 4.2 billion won through year-end to expand seating at Poeun Art Hall and replace sound and video equipment, substantially upgrading it to become a high-level performance venue.

The city is also activating citizen participation festivals. The Singal Street Festival held in April and the Yongin Citizen Festival held last September in September are being evaluated as events that satisfied citizens' festival hunger. Recent success of the Central Market Starlit Courtyard night market event confirms enthusiastic participation by Yongin special citizens in cultural events.

Reflecting citizens' enthusiasm for education, the city is making substantial investments in improving educational environments.

Since his first year in office, Mayor Lee has held discussions with all elementary, middle, and high school principals in the city (185 in 2023, 187 in 2024) and parent association chair groups, visiting school sites to resolve inconveniences and expand facilities. This year, he conducted discussions with 187 elementary, middle, and high school principals and meetings with 2 special school principals and parents. He plans to hold discussions with 187 elementary, middle, and high school parent association chairs in the second half. Mayor Lee resolved issues that the city could handle as quickly as possible based on discussion content, and for projects requiring government support, he directly met with Ministry of Education and Presidential Office officials to secure support.

He refurbished Dongbaek High School's muddy access road that turned into mud whenever it rained, provided support so shuttle buses could continue operating at Samgyeong High School where service was about to be discontinued, and confirmed construction of Baekam Elementary School's complex cultural facility and Yongcheon Elementary School's swimming pool as representative examples.

Mayor Lee focused on creating safe commuting environments, establishing 9 boarding and alighting bays including in front of Yongin High School, installing right-turn advisory LED signs at 17 child protection zones, and planning to install smart crosswalks that automatically extend pedestrian signals when children cross at 14 locations including in front of Guseong Elementary School and Daejji Elementary School by year-end.

The city particularly installed yellow crosswalks at 104 elementary school entrances citywide in the first half of this year and plans to install yellow crosswalks at 123 locations near kindergartens and childcare facilities by year-end.

To expand students' school choice, the city is actively promoting establishment of science high schools and art high schools following the semiconductor high school, and has applied for autonomous public high school designation for Samgyeong High School and Baekam High School.

■ Strengthening Support for Socially Vulnerable Groups Including the Disabled, Elderly Living Alone, and Young Professionals

Mayor Lee emphasized: "The top two city departments spending the most budget are the Department of Child Welfare and the Department of Elderly Welfare, with the Department of Disability Welfare also spending budget equivalent to the Department of Welfare Policy," stressing efforts in supporting socially vulnerable groups.

The city arranged for family shower rooms, changing rooms, restrooms, and other disability family spaces in newly constructed public facilities to make it easier for families to care for disabled family members, and plans to establish a disability hall and disability family support center in Dongbu-dong, Cheoin-gu.

The city opened Gyeonggi Province's only virtual reality sports center at the former district vehicle registration office site to help disabled people and disabled students improve physical fitness, and plans to operate an all-day care center for disabled people (Haedun Sol in Baekam-myeon) from next month for households of disabled people requiring all-day care.

For elderly living alone, the city began support for "emergency on-site repair service" in early this year, providing assistance in 283 cases in just the first half. The city is also establishing virtual reality sports centers in 3 district welfare halls to help improve elderly health.

Mayor Lee pointed out irrationality in elderly welfare housing admission standards to the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year, successfully pushing through relevant law amendments. He extended from 19 years old to 24 years old the age when teenagers living in elderly welfare housing must become independent, and allowed disabled people to continue living in elderly welfare housing.

Regarding activation of people's economic livelihoods, Mayor Lee introduced that in addition to developing traditional markets and directly supporting small business owners, the city is actively implementing policies to expand the regional economy pie and distribute benefits.

Mayor Lee stated: "Noting that the city employees union issued statements highly evaluating the mayor's work promotion and achievements three times over last year and this year," I take this excessive honor as meaning I should do better. I will retie my shoelaces and run hard for the remaining two years," he concluded.