![Mayor Jung Jang-seon, Pyeongtaek. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-8fbc1e31-cd6c-490a-81af-ac8885e89744.png)
![Pyeongtaek Route 1 urban-forest. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-dfa4b25b-4df5-4175-804f-79e663d5de6d.jpeg)
I met Mayor Jung as he entered the final stretch of his administration. Having chosen to bring his political career to a close, he is applying himself fully (盡心竭力) through his last days in office. He discussed his political journey, the achievements of his mayoralty, and his reflections on his time in office.
-You led Pyeongtaek first as a three-term National Assembly member and later as a two-term mayor, overseeing major changes. Yet you declared early on that you would not run in the June 3 local election. Many in the region still expect you to play a role. Do you feel any regret?
△In politics, while beginnings matter, how and when you end your service can be even more important. For years I’ve believed that after roughly 30 years of public life it’s appropriate to place a period on that chapter. I told citizens during the last local election that this would be my final term, and my decision not to run is simply keeping that promise.
I considered extending my tenure or seeking another elected office, but I ultimately decided it is better for new leaders to guide the next era of change. Some urged me to finish every project before stepping down, yet I made a firm decision. My family and I also want to plan the next phase of our lives, and at nearly 70 that feels fitting.
-What would you like to tell the next mayor of Pyeongtaek and younger politicians?
△Young people who want to enter politics often come to seek advice. I always tell them to ask themselves: “Why do I want to go into politics, and what does politics mean to me?” Wrestle with those questions until your answers are clear. If you decide to enter public life after that reflection, work to earn the public’s trust.
Trust comes when a politician sets aside personal ambition. Politicians must prioritize the public interest, and citizens notice at once when those priorities wobble. People around a politician observe every word, action and decision carefully; those observations ultimately determine how the public evaluates a leader.
Also, make sure citizens feel politics genuinely improves their lives. Remain sincere and diligent in every circumstance. Difficult moments will come, but precisely then you must hold fast to your original purpose and choose the public good.
-Pyeongtaek has changed dramatically in recent years. What long-term vision and core strategies guided your effort to develop the city into a leading semiconductor hub?
△Designating Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek campus as a national semiconductor-specialized complex in 2023 was a turning point. That designation raised the allowable building-to-land ratio for semiconductor production facilities by roughly 1.4 times. We’re also building the environment to nurture semiconductor talent—KAIST will play a central role.
On that basis, we’ve attracted materials, parts and equipment firms and strengthened the semiconductor ecosystem from the ground up. About 300 semiconductor-related companies now operate in the region, and we’re recruiting additional suppliers around the Brain City industrial zone and the second advanced complex currently under development.
![Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-ba20ed0c-1bde-46de-abfb-678c085c839f.jpeg)
△First, I helped pass the “Pyeongtaek Support Special Act.” After negotiations with the national government, we enacted this special law, which opened the way for large corporations to locate in Pyeongtaek. Under it, we secured about 4.3 million pyeong of industrial land. The process was not straightforward: permitting controversies and allegations of special favors arose, but through intense negotiation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport we resolved the site issues.
We finalized the agreements in 2007. Subsequent milestones included a 2010 memorandum of understanding between Gyeonggi Province and Samsung Electronics, the July 2012 land sales for the Godeok Industrial Complex, the start of development in May 2013, the Line 1 campus construction in May 2015, and the start of semiconductor production in June 2017.
-Securing a KAIST campus and establishing an international school are likely to be critical to Pyeongtaek’s future competitiveness. How will education change in the city?
△As industry and urban development advanced, Pyeongtaek’s population grew steadily. Even as South Korea’s overall population declines, Pyeongtaek continues to attract young people and maintains a relatively high birthrate. But without strong educational infrastructure a city is hard-pressed to remain competitive.
KAIST’s Pyeongtaek campus is a core solution. The global AI-semiconductor innovation campus in Brain City has entered detailed design and the execution phase. It will research and pilot AI semiconductors and physical-AI technologies and serve as a platform to train world-class talent, with an opening target of 2029. This project will add a research and higher-education axis to Pyeongtaek’s industrial base.
Recruiting an international school is another major step. We selected Annie Wright Schools from the United States as the founding operator for a K–12 international school scheduled to open in 2028. The school will prioritize local students and give them access to world-class education within Pyeongtaek.
We are also pursuing a public autonomous high school linked to military families (working name: Songdam High). This innovative model will enable military children and local students to learn together and expand educational choices. KAIST, the international school and the autonomous public high school will form the core educational pillars that match the city’s growth, strengthening Pyeongtaek’s appeal as a place to settle.
![KAIST Pyeongtaek campus agreement ceremony. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-cdc81071-597b-4513-be1c-9c9f86935c38.jpeg)
△I believe industry growth and improved urban competitiveness combined to produce that result. Large-scale corporate investment in manufacturing—especially semiconductors—continues, creating quality jobs. That is the primary factor. Over the past five years, Pyeongtaek’s youth population increased by more than 14,000 people, a rise exceeding 12%.
Another factor is the improved living environment. Housing and public infrastructure have rapidly improved, and our total fertility rate stands at 1.02—well above national and Gyeonggi Province averages. Improvements in education also contribute.
-Since you took office, Pyeongtaek’s international profile has risen. You attribute that to “city diplomacy.” Explain.
△Pyeongtaek has the attributes to grow into a truly international city. It hosts Camp Humphreys—the world’s largest U.S. military base—Osan Air Base and the 2nd Fleet Command, bringing key army, navy and air force assets together. At the same time, it houses one of the world’s largest semiconductor production complexes. Cities that combine large military facilities with advanced industry are rare globally.
To promote that uniqueness, we embraced “city diplomacy.” International engagement is no longer solely the central government’s domain. When cities forge direct ties and build trust with peers worldwide, that becomes a competitive advantage. Research shows cities with active sister-city networks tend to attract more foreign direct investment.
![MOA exchange between Pyeongtaek and Da Nang at the Korea-Vietnam summit. From left: Nguyễn Văn Quảng (Party Secretary of Da Nang), Tô Lâm (Vietnamese official), President Lee Jae-myung, Mayor Jung Jang-seon. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-e148f5b0-05ca-45a8-8959-095dbcbea3cd.png)
We also strengthened exchanges that citizens can feel directly. We held an international culture week with embassies to showcase national cultures, and our international children’s art exchange now draws participation from 33 countries.
International engagement does not yield immediate results. But repeated meetings and cooperation build trust, which becomes an invisible asset for a city. Through city diplomacy, I hope Pyeongtaek will evolve beyond an industrial and security hub into a globally connected city.
-Climate change and carbon neutrality are pressing challenges. Pyeongtaek has pursued green policies such as urban forests and park expansion. Why pursue these projects, and what have they achieved?
△To address climate change, fine dust and to improve residents’ quality of life, Pyeongtaek has steadily expanded green infrastructure across the city. Our flagship initiative has been the creation of urban forests.
Urban forests absorb CO2 and fine dust, reduce urban heat, and provide residents with a more comfortable environment. Since 2019, Pyeongtaek has planted roughly 9 million trees across the city.
![Mayor Jung planting trees with citizens on Arbor Day. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-c20e66d9-2b2a-4289-8364-d486b02d72a7.jpeg)
Pyeongtaek has earned top recognition as an exemplary green city for its dust-blocking and urban-forest initiatives. We received the Korea Landscape Award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and achieved model city-forest certifications. In particular, the “Pyeongtaek Wind Corridor Forest” was the only site in Gyeonggi Province named by the Korea Forest Service among the “Top 10 Walkable Urban Forests.”
We also accelerated park expansion, initiating construction on 15 new parks; many are already serving as leisure spaces for residents. Urban parks increased from 298 in 2019 to 400 in 2025, and total park area nearly doubled from about 3.83 million m² to 7.06 million m².
-Since your inauguration in 2018 you’ve shown strong interest in nurturing future industries, especially hydrogen. Which hydrogen projects advanced under your administration?
△Pyeongtaek is building a future hydrogen ecosystem that spans production, processing, distribution and use. We aim to use locally produced hydrogen across homes, public facilities, commercial buildings, transport and logistics, while promoting hydrogen R&D. To secure a stable supply, a hydrogen production base now produces up to 7 metric tons per day, and this year an additional facility with 15 metric tons per day capacity will be commissioned.
In 2022, Pyeongtaek was selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for a hydrogen-city project and secured KRW 21 billion (approximately 15.75 million USD) in national funding. Using that support, we are building a city model that uses hydrogen across transportation, industry and housing. The produced hydrogen will be distributed through pipelines and converted to electricity via fuel cells for use across the city.
We are also converting Pyeongtaek Port—which has long faced air-pollution concerns—into a hydrogen port. Since 2023 we have operated the nation’s first hydrogen-transportation complex and are partnering with Hyundai Motor, Kia and Hyundai Glovis to shift port logistics energy to hydrogen. With the introduction of green hydrogen production and imports, Pyeongtaek can become a zero-emissions eco-port and an energy hub that supports corporate RE100 commitments.
![Korea Clean Hydrogen Promotion Research Institute opening. [Photo: Pyeongtaek City]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-f2b49cf2-2afa-4ab0-b680-efab05ce35e1.jpeg)
△While South Korea faces population decline and low birthrates, Pyeongtaek’s demographic profile remains comparatively healthy because industry growth and urban competitiveness reinforce one another. Continued corporate investment and industrial-park expansion have produced steady, quality jobs.
That industrial base attracts young workers. Over the past five years, the city’s youth population increased by more than 14,000 people—over a 12% rise—while youth populations declined elsewhere in the country and in Gyeonggi Province.
Improved living conditions are another factor. Large-scale developments like Godeok International New Town have rapidly upgraded housing and infrastructure. A city that offers both jobs and housing enables young people to settle and start families.
In this context, Pyeongtaek has consistently maintained a crude marriage rate above 5.0 in Gyeonggi Province and a total fertility rate of 1.02—well above national and provincial averages. In short, jobs, livability and youth in-migration are linking to higher marriage and birthrates here.
-Finally, any message for Pyeongtaek citizens?
△Above all, I offer my sincere gratitude to the citizens. I did not reach this point on my own; it was your shared vision for Pyeongtaek’s development, your trust and your support that made it possible. We faced difficult moments, but each citizen’s encouragement and confidence guided me and gave me strength.
In the remaining roughly two months of my term, I will continue to do my utmost for Pyeongtaek. I will stay committed to outstanding tasks and ensure current projects proceed properly after my term ends. I ask for your continued interest and support, and I look forward to your thoughtful suggestions for an even better future for Pyeongtaek.
