Candidate Sangil Lee: "Transforming Yongin into a Wealthy City through Industrial Restructuring... Building the Foundation for a Metropolitan City of 1.5 Million"

Sangil Lee, Yongin Mayoral Candidate, Proposes Paradigm Shift Through Industrial Structure Transformation
Establishment of 1 Trillion Won "Silicon Yongin Fund"... Development of "Work, Live, Play" High-Tech New Town
Fostering Yongin as an Advanced Corporate City Encompassing AI, Robotics, and Bio
Building a Future Advanced Industry Base by Adding a Startup Ecosystem to the Semiconductor Cluster
Lee: "Will Cultivate Dynamism by Discovering Talents with New Technologies and Ideas"

Sangil Lee, candidate for Mayor of Yongin Special City from the People Power Party, has unveiled a comprehensive urban policy vision for the 9th popularly elected administration, presenting the "Wealthy City of Yongin through Industrial Structure Transformation" and the establishment of a "Metropolitan City System for a Population of 1.5 Million" as key elements of his master plan.

Lee Sang-il, Candidate for Mayor of Yongin Special City. Provided by Candidate Lee Sang-il

On May 24, Candidate Lee stated, "If entrusted with the 9th term, I will completely restructure the city’s industrial framework to clarify the direction and objectives of development, elevate citizens’ income levels, and establish a true metropolitan city system that leads Korea."

This level of concrete and macro-scale urban policy vision is rare among candidates for local government heads nationwide, drawing significant attention from both the political sphere and the local community. Previously, in November 2024, Lee announced the policy of "urban spatial structure reform" for a metropolitan-level city in his "2025 City Administration Address." This latest announcement goes beyond spatial structure adjustments, representing a further evolved strategy to fundamentally transform the city’s core into an advanced industry-centric structure.

Lee explained, "Yongin, with an area (591.2㎢) slightly smaller than Seoul and a current population of 1,112,000, is poised to grow into a mid-sized metropolitan city. We are formulating the 'Yongin Urban Master Plan 2040' targeting a population of 1.5 million. Moving forward, not only will we focus on establishing an urban master plan centered on spatial structure, but we will also reorganize the city’s entire industrial structure to significantly raise citizens’ income levels."

He continued, "Through the global semiconductor hub strategy, Yongin has already attracted mega-scale manufacturing lines from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, as well as world-class semiconductor equipment companies such as ASML, Lam Research, and Tokyo Electron, along with numerous small and medium-sized material, component, and equipment companies. As a result, Yongin is rapidly transforming from a mixed urban-rural city into an advanced corporate city," expressing confidence that the region’s average income will rise sharply in the future.

In particular, Lee has outlined plans to greatly expand future-oriented advanced industry sectors such as AI, robotics, and bio-healthcare, all based on the semiconductor ecosystem. To achieve this, he will establish the "Silicon Yongin Fund" worth 1 trillion won and strengthen incubation and acceleration support, aiming to build a startup ecosystem comparable to Silicon Valley in the United States.

According to detailed plans, the Platform City area to be developed in Bojeong, Mabuk, and Singal-dong of Giheung-gu will actively attract fabless (semiconductor design), AI, and bio companies. The second Yongin Technovalley in Idong-eup will house material, component, and equipment companies, while Yurim-dong, Wonsam-myeon, and Baegam-myeon will see the establishment of numerous bio companies, thereby completing an advanced industrial belt for each region.

Lee emphasized that he would innovate the city’s living environment to suit a "youthful sensibility" in order to create a vibrant city that attracts young talent.

He stated, "The Idong Public Housing District, a new town specialized for semiconductors, is being developed as a high-tech city under the concept of 'Work, Live, Play (職·住·樂).' Other undeveloped areas will also be developed into high-tech new towns equipped with ample parks, turning Yongin into a city sought after by young professionals."

Lee also remarked, "By lifting the 45-year development restriction from the Songtan Water Source Protection Zone—an area of 19.5 million pyeong—as well as removing overlapping regulations of 25 years from 1.13 million pyeong in the Gyeongan Stream area, and utilizing undeveloped lands in Pogok, Mohyeon, Wonsam, and Baegam, we will secure sufficient space for young talent to realize their dreams."

Additionally, he has specified plans to enhance citizens’ quality of life by creating "four major premium parks": the country’s largest Idong Lake Park featuring a multipurpose cultural center and greenhouse gardens; Giheung Lake Park, which will include an outdoor stage and park golf course; Suji Central Park with a health theme; and Central Park within Platform City. These parks will be established as planned to provide healing spaces within the city.

Lee Sangil, Candidate for Yongin Special City Mayor. Provided by Candidate Lee Sangil

Lee stressed that, "For Yongin to become a genuinely wealthy city that helps other cities, major projects such as the already-approved Idong and Namsa-eup Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complexes must be implemented without disruption."

He further stated, "For Yongin’s road and rail projects to achieve strong economic viability and be completed quickly, it is essential that the already planned semiconductor projects proceed in full. I will ensure that the ruling party’s attempts to relocate Yongin’s semiconductor projects do not succeed, thereby safeguarding the future of Yongin and the future of Korea."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.