Candidate Dongkeun Kim: "Uijeongbu Station Area to Become a Hub for Youth Entrepreneurship and e-Sports"

Dongkeun Kim, Candidate for Uijeongbu Mayor, Announces Plan for e-Sports Arena
Fostering a Future Industry Hub Combining AI, Digital Content, and Media
Youth Entrepreneurship and University Partnerships...
Establishing an e-Sports Hub for Northern Gyeonggi Province

Dongkeun Kim, candidate for Mayor of Uijeongbu from the People Power Party, has announced a pledge to create an e-Sports Arena in connection with the Uijeongbu Station Area Development Project (UBC), presenting a vision to nurture Uijeongbu into a future-oriented city based on AI and digital content industries.

e-Sports Arena Creation Campaign Image. Provided by Candidate Donggeun Kim

Candidate Kim emphasized that this pledge goes beyond simply constructing gaming facilities; it is a future-oriented urban growth strategy that integrates e-sports with AI, digital content, media, youth entrepreneurship, and cultural tourism industries.

He stated, "In the past, games were seen merely as entertainment, but today, e-sports is a professional sport and a vast future industry that combines broadcasting, media, content, IT, and AI sectors. I will transform Uijeongbu from a city that young people leave, into a city where young people gather and future industries thrive."

Candidate Kim also stressed the necessity of transforming Uijeongbu’s industrial structure. He explained that Uijeongbu has long suffered from its role as a bedroom community for Seoul commuters, the outflow of young people, and a lack of jobs. Furthermore, the presence of military protection zones, development restriction areas, and metropolitan area regulations have limited the ability to attract manufacturing-based industries.

Accordingly, he identified digital content, AI, media, and e-sports—urban-type future industries—as the most suitable growth model for Uijeongbu, rather than large-scale, factory-based industries.

He added, "These industries are relatively less constrained by space and focus on young talent and creativity, making them a good fit for Uijeongbu. Now, the future of Uijeongbu depends not on simple residential development or housing expansion, but on building an industrial base where young people can work, start businesses, and stay."

The core of the pledge is the establishment of a complex e-Sports Arena within the Uijeongbu Station area. Candidate Kim announced plans to build a multi-purpose platform including an e-sports stadium, broadcasting and streaming space, video content production areas, performance and event venues, youth entrepreneurship hubs, and office spaces for gaming and media companies.

The facility will be operated as a multi-functional space capable of hosting professional e-sports tournaments, nationwide gaming leagues, and youth e-sports events, as well as serving as a venue for YouTube and streaming content creation, performances, fan meetings, and cultural activities.

To foster youth employment and a startup ecosystem, he plans to establish support systems for startups in gaming, media, video, and AI sectors, as well as a talent development system in cooperation with local universities. To this end, he will create spaces for youth entrepreneurship and support systems for content production, along with residency and support frameworks for startups in gaming, media, video, and AI.

Kim Donggeun, mayor of Uijeongbu, explains the Uijeongbu Station area development project. Provided by candidate Kim Donggeun

Additionally, he plans to promote industry-academia cooperation in e-sports operations, broadcasting and video production, game content, AI technology, and digital marketing by working with Shinhan University, Kyungmin University, and Eulji University, among others.

Candidate Dongkeun Kim emphasized, "Uijeongbu must no longer be a city that young people leave behind. Through the e-sports and digital content industries, I will make Uijeongbu a city that young people visit, settle in, and take on new challenges."

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