Godeok New International City Invites Samsung Electronics Company
What voices are sounded by Pyeongtaek citizens?

Godeok-myeon of Pyeongtaek ity in Gyeonggi Province in which Godeok New International City is to beis extremely elated now that moving in of Samsung Electronics has been finalized. Samsung Electronics is planning to develop an industrial complex 2.4 times as large as the Suwon business place.  We tried to listen to the vivid voices on how the common citizens think of it.

Signing of the parcelling-out contract and the support agreement between Samasung Electronics of Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek Godeok Industrial Complex / Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall
(From left) The president of Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation Lee Jaeyoung, Geonggi Province Governor Kim Munsu, the vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics Gwon Ohyeon, Pyeongtaek Mayor Kim Seonki

Mr. Kim OO, a licensed real estate agent residing in Pyeongtaek 

Pyeongtaek has now come to occupy a position important not only economically but alos militarilly through invitation  of Samsung Electronics. Godeok New International City in which Samsung Electronics will find a nest has come to secure a lot for the industrial complex of 4.3 million pyeong in total based on the Special Support Act for Pyeongtaek. Also, 1.2 million pyeong of the 5.28 million pyeong in Godeok district will be used as the industrial complex for Samsung Electronics. Godeok New International City will be developed into an international city with proximity of job and residence where the residence and the industrial complex coexist rather than a residence-oriented bed town. It will grow into an international city to invite 140,000 people at the same time.

Godoek New International City also has a high accessibility to the metropolitan areas. That is because the KTXdeparting from Suseo of Seoul stops at Jije station of Godeok. Not only that, it is close to Pyeongtaek Harbor, which is the only international harbor of Gyeonggi Province. Hence, a role is expected as the trade gate leading to the world. There is also a military advantage. Since most of the US army and air force troops  stationed in Korea as well as the naval headquarters of our navy are placed in Pyeongtaek, the likelihood to develop into a military strategic point has been enhanced. In this way, Pyeongtaek is expected to produce flowers of ´2020 Pyeongtaek Urban Fundamental Plan´ together with the internationalization center city, large-scale housing site development, US military base move, etc. 

Currently, the overall land prices of Pyeongtaek near the region for move-in by Samsung Electronics have risen about 30~40% since the ´parcelling-out contract for Pyeongtaek Godeok industrial complex. Such price rise appears to continue for a while. While the investment time may be best at present, investors are suggested to have a sufficient review for themselves. After the first half of 2013, the highest point in the price aspect is predicted to be reached due to signing a contract with LG Electronics, etc. 

The GyeonggiProvince Governor Kim Munsu visiting a village hall of Yulbuk 2-ri in Godeok
Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall

Voice of Mr. Lee OO, a graduate school student majoring in urban sociology

concentration in cities is not just a problem of today. Among phenomenon of industrialization and leaving villages to head for cities, we have continued to head for the cities. Our country´s policies for new cities may be considered to have been established since 1960´s. As the population increased around Seoul, the new city policies near Seoul have been established from the level of solving housing shortage problems, urban function differentiation and regional development, etc. The time for full-pledged enforcement of the new city policies was from the latter 1980´s through the early 1990´s. The new cities formed at those times correspond to ´the 1st period new cities´. Another new city policy was announced in 2000´s to stop the housing price rise. These are ´the 2nd period new cities´. Pyeongtaek´s Godeok New International City is included in the 2nd period new cities. Insofar as the major purpose of forming the new cities is to supply housings, many residential complexes are built in the new cities. While there are problems related to this, I´d like to talk about the bed town as one of them. 

The bed town refers to a ´residence-oriented´ city. You only reside there as it says, and carry economic lives elsewhere. Since there are no economic activities in these cities, it is quiet. But the cities should have a vitality. Isn´t the city a place where people live. All activities should be possible whether you work or enjoy leisure times.

What´s important in urban development is that industrial facilities, educational facilities(colleges), companies, etc. should be invited so that it may become a self-sustainable, self-sufficient city. In this sense, the moving-in of Samsung Electronics  in Godeok New International City has a great meaning. The invitation of Samsung Electronics by Godeok must have been supported by the related personnel of the local government as well as the regional residents. As the Samsung Electronics come in, this region will gain positive effects such as expansion of the infrastructure, creation of jobs, increase in the economic profits, etc. Wouldn´t Godeok New International City have gone a step closer to the city with vitality? 

What is to be mentioned last is the residents who may get to lose a hometown and a base due to the urban development. Not only material compensation but also alternatives such as space, facilities, programs, etc. for place memories should follow..  

Briefing session on development planning services for Godeok New International City
Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall

Voice of Kim Hakjin (himself),
a college student residing at Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province

There seems never been a time with so many placards hung as these days before while I was living in Pyeongtaek. Not to mention Pyeongtaek station but the phrases of welcoming Samsung Electronics are hung here and there at the entrance of the country village. However, the fact that such excitement is not so surprising is because any Pyeongtaek citizen will be so fully aware how long a time and how much effort has been invested to ´have an honor of inviting´ Samsung Electronics to Pyeongtaek city. The striving hours of the Pyeongtaek city must have been a a desperate struggle to overcome the economic crisis that has visited us since the SSangyong Motors incident. I think that´s why the placards saying ´we have done it´ are hung everywhere in Pyeongtaek for the move-in decision by Samsung Electronics. With the gratitude to Samsung Electronics added to it.

Thirty thousand jobs are said to be generated due to the invitation of Samsung Electronics. For a college student such as myself cannot help but pointing my ears most to such job-related news. It is such a happy news to not only Pyeongtaek citizens but also city residents in the neighborhood. We are familiar with the case where the secluded country village of Asan Tangjeong has grown at the light speed. Thus, we´ve come to cultivate the light of hope for the jobs together with the development of Pyeongtaek. 

I also have a personal wish. As far as the Samsung´s power greatly contributed to the growth of Suwon to a megalopolis, I hope that Pyeongtaek may also develop into a mega city rather than a country city providing a scenery of town and village through the invitation of Samsung Electronics. It is my hope that Samsung may realize the belief that we can grow to be a city broadly providing various infrastructures.

Birdseye view of Pyeongtaek Godeok New International City
Source: Pyeongtaek City Hall

Up to now, you have heard the voices of Pyeongtaek citizens viewing the Pyeongtaek Godeok New International City. I suppose that Godeok´s burden will be as great as the people´s expectations and concerns. Let us expect that Godeok carrying the soil hard already for lot formation will be born again as the new heart of Gyeonggi Province to be a new growth engine of our country in the near future.