Dongducheon seeks economic growth following population decline designation

Dongducheon has been designated as a population decline area, providing the city with access to expanded government financial support and tax incentives. Under this designation, the city is eligible to receive 6 billion KRW in 2027, with potential annual support increasing up to 12 billion KRW from 2028 based on performance evaluations.

A recent citizen satisfaction survey revealed high approval ratings for the city's administration (87.5%) and living conditions (87.1%), with 82.4% of residents expressing a desire to continue living in the area. However, the survey also highlighted critical areas for improvement, specifically regarding job availability (26.4% dissatisfaction), transportation and parking (18.5%), and healthcare (11.7%).

To address these challenges, Mayor Park Hyung-deok and the city administration plan to focus on economic revitalization through corporate attraction, industrial base expansion, and youth employment support. Strategic goals include advancing the defense innovation cluster, improving regional accessibility via the GTX-C line extension, and leveraging natural resources like Soyosan to boost tourism.