Pocheon City Aims for "No One Leaves for Education"... Major Overhaul in Care, Commuting, and Learning Systems

Pocheon City Transforms Educational Limitations into Innovation... Experimenting as an 'Education City'

From childcare and commuting to self-directed learning... Lowering the 'distance barrier' in education

Pocheon's Unique Educational Policy Pays Off... High School Advancement Rate Rises from 80% to 91%

Aiming to Become an Education Innovation Leading Area... Up to 10 Billion Won in Support over 5 Years if Selected

Mayor Younghyun Baek: "From a City People Leave Because of Education to a City Where They Stay for Education"

"Educational opportunities should not depend on where you live."

Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Younghyun Baek) is pursuing a transformation from a "city people leave because of education" to a "city people stay because of education." The goal is to directly address the educational limitations faced by the region, such as a service area about 1.4 times the size of Seoul, a declining student population, and a growth in multicultural students.

Baek Younghyun, Mayor of Pocheon, is greeting students with high fives as they go to school. Pocheon City is promoting a transformation from a "city people leave because of education" to a "city people stay because of education" through its "Pocheon-type education policy," which encompasses care, commuting, and learning. Provided by Pocheon City

The solution was found within the reality of the region. If schools are far away, the city provides shuttle services and supports school buses or taxis. In areas lacking private educational infrastructure, the city has established public self-directed learning centers. The gap in childcare for dual-income families is filled with an all-day care system.

Pocheon City’s approach is to fill the gaps in education that arise during children's growth processes—from care, to commuting, to learning—through public support. The solution they have proposed is the "Pocheon-Type Education Policy."

The key is not to limit educational issues to the boundaries of the school. Pocheon City aims to construct an integrated "educational ecosystem" in which the local government connects childcare, school commuting, after-school learning, and career or college guidance into a seamless framework that supports every stage of a child's development.

Mayor Younghyun Baek stated, "Education is an investment in the future of our children and a fundamental pillar for Pocheon's sustainable growth," adding, "We will create an educational environment where children can learn, grow, and dream about their futures in Pocheon."

Baek Younghyun, mayor of Pocheon, visits the site of the all-day care system by region, 'Pocheon Aebom365,' spending time with children. Provided by Pocheon City

"Who looks after the children?"... The community shares the responsibility

Pocheon's educational experiment begins with "care."

The signature initiative, "Pocheon Aebom 365," is an all-day care system organized by region. It is designed for the community to fill the childcare gap that arises between parents' work hours and school lesson times.

The "Dureundureun Soheul" educational and cultural complex, which opened in Soheul-eup last year, is a space that brings together the various aspects of Pocheon-style childcare.

They operate not only emergency care services for times when parents suddenly need childcare, but also hospital accompaniment for sick children and a children's cafeteria. This facility is not just for children. There are also spaces for residents to read, relax, or meet neighbors, bringing together educational, care, and community functions within a single building.

Pocheon City regards care as more than just a welfare service; it is considered part of a settlement policy aimed at creating a city where children can be raised.

Pocheon City has started operating a new route for the Pocheon-style student-exclusive school bus, "Pochun Bus," on the Yeongjung-Socheul line since May 18. Provided by Pocheon City

If the school is far, connect via shuttle, bus, or taxi

The other major challenge for education in Pocheon is "distance." Given the wide residential area, commuting conditions and access to educational programs inevitably differ depending on where students live.

The city has strengthened support for school commutes to enhance equal access to educational opportunities.

The "Pouri" smart safety shuttle is operated for elementary students. For middle and high school students, the city provides the "Pochun Bus," and for those in areas where public transportation is inconvenient, an "Edu Taxi" service is available. In June, the operating area for the Pouri shuttle was also expanded.

It is not just about "giving students a ride to school." Pocheon City sees commuting as part of its broader education policy, ensuring that no students lose educational opportunities due to accessibility challenges.

Baek Younghyun, Mayor of Pocheon, is cheering after visiting the Self-Directed Learning Center and observing the students' learning environment. Provided by Pocheon City

If private academies are lacking, public authorities provide learning support

The city has also significantly expanded public infrastructure for self-directed learning. Pocheon-type self-directed learning centers, which are closely connected with public education, are a core project to strengthen learning support and reduce reliance on private education.

In 2025, Pocheon City opened the nation's first EBS self-directed learning center. Since then, it has established a network for operating a total of nine self-directed learning centers, representing the largest scale in Korea. The purpose is to allow students to receive learning support linked with public education close to where they live. The centers focus on helping students independently develop study methods and habits, rather than simply providing spaces for solving problems.

This approach has lightened the educational burden for parents and has created an environment where students can build the skills needed to study on their own.

In two years, the local high school advancement rate rose by 11 percentage points

Pocheon City considers its educational policies as a population strategy and as a regional extinction response measure. The results are also evident in actual metrics.

The percentage of students advancing to local high schools in Pocheon increased from 80% in 2023 to 91% in 2025—a rise of 11 percentage points in two years.

The entrance rate for four-year universities also increased from 49.1% in 2024 to 53.7% in 2025, marking an increase of 4.6 percentage points. The rate of decrease in private education expenses reached 2.1%, exceeding the initial target of 1.5%.

Raising the rate of local high school advancement is of particular interest to Pocheon City, as it is directly connected to building trust that "students can get a sufficient education in Pocheon," and it reduces the phenomenon of middle school graduates leaving the city to attend high school elsewhere for better educational environments.

Officials from Pocheon City and the Pocheon Office of Education held a working-level meeting of the "Pocheon Education Innovation Promotion Team" on July 30 to discuss the direction and cooperation plans for designating the area as a "Leading Education Innovation Region" by the Ministry of Education. Provided by Pocheon City

This time, aiming for up to 10 billion won as an 'Education Innovation Leading Area'

Pocheon’s next objective is to be selected as an "Education Innovation Leading Area," which the Ministry of Education plans to designate in the second half of this year.

The Education Innovation Leading Area is a project where the local government, the Office of Education, and the community collaborate to establish an educational ecosystem tailored to regional circumstances. Selected areas receive up to 10 billion won in total (20 billion won per year for up to five years).

Pocheon City is preparing the application jointly with the Pocheon Office of Education. The city plans to connect its systems for care, commuting, and self-directed learning—each developed so far—and add career and advancement support, ultimately creating an education system that spans "from birth until maturity."

Mayor Younghyun Baek said, "We will build an educational environment that citizens can truly experience in their daily lives," adding, "Through designation as an Education Innovation Leading Area, we will help propel Pocheon education to the next level."

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