Uiwang City Reborn as 'Rail-Centered Specialized Zone'

Uiwang City, which was designated as Korea's only rail special district last year, is being reborn as a rail-centered specialized zone.

With Uiwang City's designation as a rail special district, leveraging its world-class integrated rail facilities, it is expected to serve as a leading force in Uiwang City's future development.

◇Rail Special District Designation Based on World-Class Rail Facilities

The Bugok area, centered around Uiwang Station and Obong Station, is home to various rail institutions including Korea National University of Transportation (formerly Railroad University), Korea Railroad Research Institute, Railroad Corporation Human Resources Development Institute, Railroad Museum, Uiwang ICD, and Hyundai Rotem. In September of last year, an area of 2.5 million square meters in Bugok-dong, Uiwang City was designated as a rail special district.

Accordingly, the city is pursuing differentiated specialized projects that link rail industry with ecology and tourism based on regulatory exceptions tailored to regional characteristics, thereby promoting local economic activation.

◇Uiwang City's Long-Cherished Project, Rail Special District Designation Achieved

The rail special district designation was a long-cherished project for the city's long-term development. In 2008, to promote regional development and effective advancement of rail facilities, Uiwang City signed business agreements with nine institutions including Gyeonggi Province, Railroad Corporation Human Resources Development Institute, Korea Railroad Research Institute, Korea National University of Transportation, Railroad Museum, Hyundai Rotem, Railroad Corporation Seoul Capital South Branch, and Korea Railroad Culture Cooperation Association.

Subsequently, the city established special district plans and achieved its goal through resident public hearings, designation of specialized business operators, applications for rail special district designation, hearing of opinions from the local assembly, and review by the urban planning committee.

After the district designation, the city has established plans to invest 229.6 billion won until 2017 in projects including Wangsong Lake Theme Park, advanced industrial complex around Uiwang ICD, and rail research complex construction.

◇Reborn as Theme Park Blending Rail Industry and Culture

The city plans to develop Wangsong Lake Park, Bird Ecology Science Hall, Railroad Museum, and Natural Learning Park as 'one-day tourism products.' A rail bike circulating around Wangsong Lake will be installed around Chopping-dong, with an area of 1.124 million square meters, and the ecological exploration trails being constructed in segments are planned to be completed by 2015 with an additional 666 million won in national funds.

Furthermore, the city will expand natural learning facilities such as wetland botanical gardens and nature exploration trails, and improve convenience facilities including walking paths and bicycle roads. The city plans to invest a total of 44.5 billion won in the Wangsong Lake Park construction project. Upon completion of Wangsong Lake Theme Park, it is expected to greatly contribute to enhancing the image of Uiwang as a rail city harmonizing rail industry and culture.

◇Uiwang Advanced Industrial Complex: Logistics and Distribution Hub Linked with Uiwang ICD

By 2017, the city plans to develop Uiwang Advanced Industrial Complex on an 183,708 square meter area around Uiwang ICD in Idong, Uiwang City. The investment amount for the industrial complex, pursued through public-private partnership, is estimated at 139 billion won.

The city selected a private business operator for Uiwang Advanced Industrial Complex construction in July, and the industrial complex will be developed focusing on promising industries with growth potential and industries with low environmental pollution. The city plans to attract rail-related companies centered on rail R&D, automobile parts-related companies, and logistics and distribution companies linked with the ICD.

◇Strengthening Rail Brand Through Urban Tourism Activation

The city will invest 3.6 billion won by 2017 to develop the section from Uiwang Station to Railroad Museum to Bugok Central Road in Uiwang City, Samdong, and Wolam-dong areas as 'Rail Street.'

In particular, the city applied to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Urban Tourism Activation Project in August to develop the section from Uiwang Station to Uiwang-mot-dong Road to Wangsong Lake surrounding roads as a rail theme street, and will receive 500 million won in national funds.

Furthermore, the city plans to create a railroad park by establishing display spaces for railroad-related sculptures connected with railroad promotion halls and railroad history halls.


◇Uiwang City's Vision, Rail Special District at Its Center

The city will invest 10.23 billion won in private sector project funds in Samdong and Wolam-dong areas of Uiwang City by 2017. First, through the International Rail Training Center and Children's Railroad School, the city is providing opportunities for cultivating global key talent as well as offering rail experience learning opportunities for children.

The city also plans to supply housing in Bugok Redevelopment District and Jangan Urban Development District to address housing issues for those working in research, industry, and academia flowing into the rail special district.

Furthermore, when three project tasks are completed—establishing a comprehensive plan for rail special district activation, designing guidelines for rail special district streetscape and public facilities, and conducting feasibility studies for urban development planned areas and Wanggok and Choheung districts—rail special district specialized projects will begin in earnest from 2015.

When the rail theme street starting from Uiwang Station and the rail bike circulating around Wangsong Lake are completed in October 2015, the city will be reborn as an eco-friendly one-day rail ecological tourism city.

Three to four years after the rail special district project is completed, production-inducing effects of 1.1 trillion won and job creation effects of approximately 9,000 positions are expected. By establishing rail business, a rail-friendly future high-value-added transportation means, as a foundation for new growth momentum, Uiwang City, securing regional symbolism and brand as a rail hub, is looking toward its appearance three years from now.