New Year's Message Mayor Kim Seong-je of Uiwang City

Dear 1.6 million citizens of Uiwang City! And municipal officials of Uiwang City!

The year 2026, the Year of the Red Horse, has arrived.

I hope that with the vigorous spirit of the galloping red horse, vitality will overflow in the homes of all citizens, and that our Uiwang City will become a meaningful year of more dynamic development.

The year 2025 was an important year in which our city laid the foundation for becoming a "premium city" and moved forward step by step toward the future.

Thanks to the support of citizens and the dedication of public officials despite difficult circumstances, our city was able to grow one step further.

I take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude.

Dear respected citizens! And public officials!

In 2026, it is expected that international conflicts will persist and economic uncertainties such as high exchange rates will continue.

In this situation, stabilizing people's livelihoods and recovering the economy have emerged as important national tasks.

To this end, Uiwang City will stably promote policies that are practically helpful to citizens' daily lives and the local economy, and will do its best to ensure that large-scale projects carried out so far can yield visible results.

Now, let me explain this year's policy direction and priority projects.

First, I will successfully promote large-scale urban development projects that will expand Uiwang's future.

We will complete large-scale urban development projects being promoted throughout the city one by one, and accelerate new projects.

The Gocheon and Chopyeong districts are in their final stages, while the Woram district and Cheonggyae 2 district are being promoted with completion targets of 2026 and 2027, respectively.

The Uiwang-Gunpo-Ansan public housing district completed district plan approval and established a regional transportation improvement plan late last year and is now in full implementation. The Ojeon-Wanggok district is currently in consultation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and LH to designate it as a public housing district this year.

The eight redevelopment and reconstruction projects currently underway will be supported with priority placed on improving residents' convenience and protecting property rights.

The Korea Electric Power Corporation relocation site development project and the Naesondong Reserve Forces Training Center facility relocation project will be coordinated with KEPCO and the Ministry of Defense to establish the best development direction.

Second, I will establish the foundation of a self-sufficient city through active investment attraction and systematic business support.

The "Poil-dong Industrial Complex Development Project," which will be key to enhancing our city's self-sufficient functions, has completed feasibility studies and is proceeding with the process of lifting restrictions on development.

We are focusing efforts on attracting quality companies to urban support facility sites in the Woram district and Cheonggyae 2 district.

The "Uiwang Industrial Promotion Center" will proceed with related procedures without delay with a target opening in 2027, and we will open a "Vocational Education and Training Center" to enhance citizens' employment competencies.

Additionally, we will continue systematic support for businesses, including "small and medium business development funds," "technology improvement and commercialization support," and "overseas market development support."

The "Uiwang Dokkaebi Market Arcade installation" will be completed by April this year, and we will strengthen local commercial competitiveness through "commercial area improvement projects" and "alley-type shopping street fostering."

Third, I will resolve citizens' transportation inconveniences and leap forward as a center of capital region transportation.

We will support the Indeok-Dongtan and Wolgot-Pangyo dual-track railway construction to proceed as planned without disruption, and we are continuously coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the Uiwang Station GTX-C route also proceeds with early construction.

In line with third new city development, we will attract a Uiwang Station complex transfer center to cultivate the area around Uiwang Station as a center axis for transportation and commerce.

We will make a final all-out effort to ensure that the "Wirye-Gwacheon Line Uiwang Extension Plan," a new railway line connecting north and south in Uiwang City, is reflected in this year's "5th National Railroad Network Construction Plan."

We are also actively coordinating with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and LH regarding the "Gukcheol Line 1 Woram Station New Installation Plan" and the "Indeok-Dongtan Line (tentative name) Wanggok Station New Installation Plan."

We will actively secure new routes, including launching "premium buses" between Naesondong and Pangyo Station and increasing metropolitan and intercity buses.

In particular, we will introduce a "student commuting shuttle bus" in the Naesondong-Cheonggyae area, where students' commute conditions are poor, to improve their commute conditions.

We will promptly commence and complete construction on the "Poil Forest Village-Gwacheon pedestrian path," construct the Baekun Valley "Cheonggyae IC Suwon-direction entrance ramp," and respond to the sharp increase in traffic demand from urban development through the "new connecting road between Haksui-ro and Anyang-Pangyo-ro" and "expansion of Baekun-ro and Haksui-ro."

Fourth, I will support the dreams of future generations through innovative education policies.

We will commence construction on the "Uiwang Future Education Center" in the first half of this year and develop it into a hub for future education leading the AI era.

Through proactive measures including securing temporary offices and preparing new land for the separation and establishment of the Education Support Office, we will make efforts to establish an independent Uiwang Education Support Office.

The Baekun Valley elementary and middle integrated school, long sought after by parents, will open as scheduled in March this year, resolving students' commute inconveniences.

Additionally, we will expand the "Youth Smart Health Management Project" to all elementary schools and enhance educational competitiveness through differentiated education support programs unique to our city, such as the Global Human Resources Center, Career Guidance Center, and Mathematics Clinic Center.

Fifth, I will move toward a warm cultural, welfare, and healthy city where all citizens enjoy happiness in their daily lives.

Through the successful opening of the Uiwang Cultural Arts Center scheduled for completion this year and the establishment of the Uiwang Cultural Foundation, we will make efforts to improve our city's cultural level and support citizens' enriched cultural lives.

We will additionally install the Five-color Garden and music fountains at Baekun Lake Park, and develop Wangsong Lake Park into a prestigious space for citizens to enjoy leisure in connection with the third new city development plan.

We will also systematically manage and improve the convenience of 22 barefoot walking trails created throughout the city to support citizens' healthy lives.

The Baekun Valley Uiwang General Hospital, which we successfully attracted last year, will complete the Ministry of Health and Welfare approval process and enhance citizens' medical accessibility.

Furthermore, through establishing an integrated care system, we will more comprehensively protect socially vulnerable groups and strengthen respect for and support of national meritorious persons.

Finally, I will create a safer city and a city that grows continuously with citizens.

We will operate a disaster situation room around the clock to establish a proactive response system to various natural disasters such as heavy rain and heavy snow, and will seamlessly protect citizens from unexpected risks in daily life by efficiently operating the citizens' safety insurance.

The "Anyang-cheon Local River Maintenance Project" will be completed in the first half of this year to create a leisure space frequently visited by citizens, and we will continue to expand urban water play facilities in preparation for climate change and heat waves.

Community centers installed in each district will be developed into centers of community for diverse activities by residents.

Dear respected citizens! And public officials!

The year 2026 will be a meaningful year in which we open a new future for Uiwang and move toward fruition based on the precious achievements made so far.

Through large-scale urban development projects and the construction of metropolitan transportation networks, we will redraw Uiwang's map and complete the premium city of Uiwang where education, welfare, and culture and arts thrive, one step at a time.

On this foundation, together with citizens, we will run with even greater vigor like the "red horse" so that Uiwang City can leap forward to become the "most livable city in the nation" by 2030.

In this new year of the Year of the Red Horse, I wish that all your dreams come true, and above all, that your homes be filled with health and happiness throughout the year.

Thank you.