Introduction to Suwon City, the capital of Gyeonggi Province

Suwon is the representative city of Gyeonggi Province regarding its historical value as well as sustainable development.

About Suwon City

Suwon is a historical landmark and the capital city of Gyeonggi Province. Suwon almost became the national capital in the 18th century, when King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty selected it as the site for a fortification with 5.7-kilometer-long walls before moving the palace south. But the king died, power remained in Seoul, and Suwon became a great tourist attraction. Traditionally known as the "City of Filial Piety," Suwon is located about 30 kilometers south of Seoul and is bordered by Uiwang City to the north, Yongin City to the east, Hwaseong City to the south and southwest, and Ansan City to the west.

Suwon is a major industrial and cultural center in Korea. Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, is a representative landmark of Suwon. It is one of the few cities in Korea to possess a fortress, which has become a leading popular tourist destination in Gyeonggi Province. In addition, the headquarters of Samsung Electronics is located in Suwon.
Suwon, also popular in Korea for its sports. It is home to the Suwon Samsung Bluewings, a soccer team that has won four K-League titles and two AFC Champions League titles, and the KT Wiz baseball team is also based in Suwon.

Current Policy and Industry

Companion Animal Adoption Center
Suwon City has launched a 'pet adoption center' to spread the culture of adopting abandoned animals. In conjunction with the "Guide Dog Sharing Center," it serves as a hub for promoting the adoption of abandoned animals, and also manages activities to support pet education programs.
In order to increase the rate of adoption of homeless animals, basic behavioral education is provided, and medical checkups, sterilization, vaccination, and microchip implants are supported.

Community Fridge

The Suwon Council for Sustainable Development devised a project to protect the environment by reducing food waste through food sharing and exchange with neighbors in need of food.
The first such community fridges were started in Germany and are currently found in 240 cities around the world. In Suwon City, community fridges first began in January 2018 and are currently operating at 25 locations.
A community fridge is a refrigerator to which anyone can add food, and from which anyone in need can take it. Residents who want to share food can donate through businesses and institutions that operate shared refrigerators.

Green Curtain Policy

The Green Curtain Policy seeks to increase energy efficiency and create an eco-friendly environment in the city by covering the outer walls of buildings with vines. As part of the Gyeonggi-do policy market, the Green Curtain Project, which was launched in 2018 by Suwon City, has been set up at public institutions and schools in Suwon. The Green Curtain Project has emerged as a complementary alternative to urban greening and is spreading throughout the country. As it is known for its effectiveness compared to other related forms of fund allocation, local governments across the country continue to benchmark it. Last year, approximately 30 local government officials from across the country, including Chuncheon City and Sejong City, visited Suwon City to study the Green Curtain Project and obtain related data.

Latest News and Action Plan for 2021

Best Policy Case of 2020 in Suwon City

Suwon City selected the best seven policies for 2020, with 2,147 people, including residents, public officials, and journalists participating in the survey. As a result, Suwon City's best policy in 2020 was determined to be the ‘Suwon-type quarantine policy’.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, Suwon City transparently disclosed information to residents and undertook quick responses to minimize the spread of the infections.
From February, it became the first municipality in South Korea to operate temporary living facilities for confirmed cases, and in March it launched the Suwon-type overseas migrant management system with temporary screening facilities for overseas immigrants and safe accommodations for families of overseas immigrants.
As it became more difficult to secure sickbeds due to the spread of COVID-19, Suwon City started operating a temporary recovery center for mild cases. Suwon City's responses to COVID-19 have been shared across the country, and are deemed to be ideal examples of Korean quarantine measures.

Suwon City's Major Plan for 2021

Moving forward, Suwon City has set three visions for its future; it aspires to be a ‘resident-centered safety city’, a ‘city of concentrated economic vitality’, and ‘a future value green city’ as it strives to realize the evolution of the greater Suwon area.

Seven major goals have also been set to materialize this plan:

- realization of a safe city in which resident safety is the top priority;

- transforming crisis into opportunity with regional economic policies;

- creation of a sustainable urban ecosystem;

- development of a people-centered city for all;

- fostering value creation in Suwon;

- cultivating an innovative city of future growth; and

- active administration based on governance.

Through its 2021 plan, Suwon City expects to achieve inclusive growth beyond the economic crisis and establish an authority that matches the status of the metropolitan city.

Implementation of a safe city in which resident safety is the top priority

The first goal of Suwon City's plan for next year is to realize a safe city. Suwon City will effectively oversee its Disaster Management Fund so as to respond to disasters and accidents while also operating a response system (which includes the Disaster Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and the Disaster Safety Situation Room) appropriate for various disaster situations.

Region-specific economic policies that turn crisis into opportunity

Suwon City’s main goal is to revitalize the local economy, which has long been suffering due to COVID-19. Suwon City plans to promote various policies to cultivate good opportunities for job seekers, stabilize the local economic environment for small businesses, and strengthen the competitiveness of local companies.

Promotion of sustainable urban ecosystem creation

Suwon City, which is solidifying its status as an environmental city, will also focus on carbon neutrality and the development of a city centered on nature, ecology and the environment in 2021. It will establish a basic plan for 2050 carbon neutrality with the aim of voluntarily reducing greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate change, and strengthen related cooperation systems through joint public-private evaluations.