Kim Dong-yeon: "Will Develop Suwon Younghwa District as Global Cultural and Tourism Hub Linked with Suwon Hwaseong"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gab-dong] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon announced plans to develop the Suwon Younghwa Urban Regeneration Innovation District (Suwon Younghwa District) as a global cultural and tourism hub in connection with Suwon Hwaseong, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Gyeonggi Province held an 'Urban Regeneration Innovation District Competition Selection Field Briefing' in Younghwa-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon on the 12th, sharing the urban regeneration vision with local residents. The event was held as part of a livelihood economy on-site tour, with approximately 100 attendees including Governor Kim, Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun, National Assembly members, provincial assembly members, and local residents.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon said, "When I visited Jangan-gu, Suwon in February last year and heard about the Younghwa District, I said let's push it forward together, and now seeing good results, I think 'dreams come true.' We have secured national funding, and I'm delighted that Suwon City and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization are participating," he added.

He continued, "This morning I announced a comprehensive plan for the North Suwon Techno Valley and spoke about leading in advanced industries. The Techno Valley will become a premium town with integrated facilities for work, leisure, and living—the only one of its kind nationwide. The Younghwa District will become a premium town where tourism and culture blend, including Suwon Hwaseong. With these two projects, Jangan-gu will develop into Korea's leading city, and Gyeonggi Province will spare no support," he added.

Previously, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, through deliberation by the Urban Regeneration Special Committee, announced on the 5th that the Suwon Younghwa-dong Urban Regeneration Innovation District was selected as one of the three final selections in the 2025 first-half urban regeneration project competition.

Urban Regeneration Innovation Districts are district-level development projects that create regional hubs with concentrated functions in industry, commerce, welfare, administration, and more, led by the public sector to promote urban regeneration in declining areas. Projects can be rapidly implemented through integrated deliberation by the Urban Regeneration Special Committee, financial subsidies, and housing and urban development fund loans and financing support.

The Suwon Younghwa District has pursued urban development projects since 2004 in the area around 152-8, Younghwa-dong, with the goal of creating cultural and experiential spaces. However, due to insufficient business viability caused by building height restrictions in the Suwon Hwaseong historical and cultural preservation zone, the project has been delayed for over 20 years, intensifying decline phenomena such as population outflow and commercial stagnation.

Governor Kim, accordingly, promised Younghwa District development at a 'Local Issues Town Hall' held at Jangan Gate in Jangan-gu, Suwon in February last year. From the candidate selection stage of the urban regeneration innovation district last year, the province intensively supported professional consulting to enhance feasibility and completion of project plans by considering local conditions and characteristics.

Following this innovation district selection, Gyeonggi Province and Suwon City will create a cultural and tourism hub with 20,452 square meters of lodging, commercial, public, and cultural facilities. The total project cost is 180.3 billion won. Suwon City, the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, and Suwon Urban Development Corporation will jointly carry out the project. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 with completion targeted for 2030. The site will include 148 guest rooms, the Gyeonggi Tourism Enterprise Support Center, public parking, a cultural complex hall, and local brand shops.

In particular, the project aims to create an innovation hub strengthening cultural and tourism functions utilizing the adjacent Suwon Hwaseong, and expand resident convenience facilities needed by the community. Through this, the plan is to nurture tourism enterprises, create jobs, revitalize the local economy, and restore urban vitality.

At the briefing, the innovation district competition selection process and business plan described above were presented, followed by a resident communication town hall. After the briefing, Governor Kim and other attendees inspected the innovation district project site and discussed the direction of project implementation.

Through this innovation district development, Gyeonggi Province plans to simultaneously address decline in the old downtown, revitalize the local economy, foster tourism industry growth, and improve residents' quality of life. Additionally, the goal is to develop it as a global cultural and tourism hub linked with Suwon Hwaseong and enhance city brand value.

Meanwhile, Governor Kim Dong-yeon will continue livelihood economy on-site tours in Uijeongbu City on the 15th and Anyang City on the 16th. This follows previous tours in Pyeongtaek on August 20, Yangju on the 26th, Namyangju on the 27th, and Suwon on September 12. In Uijeongbu City, Governor Kim plans to communicate about Gyeonggi Province's peace will and improvements in transportation environment for the development of northern Gyeonggi. In Anyang City, he plans to discuss improved quality of life for residents through the Opportunity Town and aging new town redevelopment projects, and visit various livelihood sites.