Kim Dong-yeon: "I Will Make North Suwon Techno Valley into an AI-Driven Self-Sufficient 15-Minute City"
[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Kab-dong] Governor Kim Dong-yeon of Gyeonggi Province presented a vision on the 12th during a field tour of the local economy in Suwon, stating "I will create North Suwon Techno Valley into an AI-driven self-sufficient 15-minute city."
On the morning of that day, Governor Kim made these remarks at the 'North Suwon Techno Valley Masterplan on-site briefing session' held at the Gyeonggi Province Human Resources Development Institute in Pajang-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, attended by approximately 60 people including National Assembly Member Kim Seung-won, Provincial Councilors Nam Gyeong-soon and Park Ok-boon, corporate representatives from AI, semiconductor, and biotech sectors, care and medical experts, and local residents.
Governor Kim stated, "Last March, I announced the North Suwon Techno Valley plan, and I am pleased to report the masterplan to residents today and inform you that we will begin construction in the first half of next year." He continued, "This will become a key transportation hub. It will be fundamentally equipped as a well-connected transportation junction with highways from the Yeongdong Expressway, railways, and various roads passing through, and on top of that, living spaces, workplaces, and leisure areas will all be located together. Within a 15-minute radius, it will be a complex equipped with residential areas, workplaces, and leisure facilities. For the first time in Korea, we will introduce an integrated care system to create the nation's first model complex."
He added, "Pangyo 1 and 2 Techno Valleys lack residential spaces, so they experience desolation in the evenings. For Pangyo 3 Techno Valley, we proceeded with work, residence, and leisure spaces together. This one goes a step further by incorporating integrated care. I would even want to come and live here myself." He emphasized, "We will begin construction next year and proceed as planned. We will look for ways internally to expedite the process."
At the on-site briefing session, a masterplan that materialized the North Suwon Techno Valley development concept announced last March and a basic concept for establishing an integrated care and medical one-stop center were presented.
The North Suwon Techno Valley project is being implemented by Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation, with construction scheduled to begin in May 2026 and completion planned for the end of 2029. The area covers 141,000 square meters with a project budget of 2.8 trillion won. Currently, the Gyeonggi Province Human Resources Development Institute, Gyeonggi Research Institute, and Records Center are located at the North Suwon Techno Valley site. The province plans to retain approximately 7% to maintain the Gyeonggi Province Human Resources Development Institute's functions, while contributing the remainder as in-kind investment to Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation (GH) to implement the project.
Gyeonggi Province plans to develop this area as a 'Gyeonggi Opportunity Town' where employment, housing, and leisure can be addressed in one location. The 'AI-driven self-sufficient 15-minute city' that North Suwon Techno Valley envisions refers to an urban model designed to allow easy access to jobs and leisure facilities from home within 15 minutes. The province plans to examine ways to incorporate AI technology like a futuristic transit center and to apply technology from AI companies in the techno valley to the complex. The province has established the masterplan development concept as 'INNO-LINK CITY.' Combining Innovation and Link, it has set the basic development direction as creating innovative spaces by organically connecting and integrating workplaces, living spaces, and leisure areas.
To this end, the province envisions attracting future industries such as AI-based IT companies, semiconductor research institutes, mobility, and biotech and healthcare facilities to establish Korea's top-tier AI knowledge industry belt connecting Gwacheon and Indeokwon Techno Valley, North Suwon Techno Valley, Gwanggyo Techno Valley, Yongin Techno Valley, and Pangyo Techno Valley.
Additionally, 500 dormitory units and 1,816 units for sale will be supplied, along with commercial, cultural, sports, leisure, and welfare spaces spanning 70,000 square meters in total floor area. Notably, for the first time in Korea, an integrated operation of visiting medical care, rehabilitation treatment, short-term hospitalization, and day and night care services will be introduced as a Gyeonggi Province-style integrated care and medical one-stop service.
A transit platform connected to North Suwon Station on the Indeokwon-Dongtan Line will be built to provide transportation convenience, and through zero-energy buildings, the area will be developed as an RE100 carbon-neutral town that realizes carbon neutrality through residential and everyday living.
Regarding this, in June, a resolution approving in-kind investment for the 'North Suwon Techno Valley Development Project' was finally passed by the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly. Going forward, Gyeonggi Province plans to collaborate with GH to expeditiously proceed with follow-up procedures including valuation assessment, detailed design, and permits, and to promote innovative and stable techno valley development through private sector recruitment and coordination.
Meanwhile, Governor Kim Dong-yeon met with 21 students from the Semiconductor Systems Engineering and Semiconductor Convergence Engineering departments at Sungkyunkwan University's Natural Science Campus in Jangan-gu following the briefing session, where he listened to and encouraged students in the semiconductor field regarding their career paths and employment concerns.