Unlocking Peace: How Gyeonggi Province is Paving the Way for 2026 Peace Economic Zones

Uijeongbu – By Jun-gu Kim, Staff Reporter

As the government unveils plans to establish approximately four Peace Economic Zones between 2026 and 2027, Gyeonggi Province has initiated the process of selecting candidate sites within its jurisdiction.

On February 10, Gyeonggi Province announced that from February 11 to March 10, it will conduct an open recruitment for Peace Economic Zone candidate sites. This process will target eight cities in the province: Goyang, Paju, Gimpo, Yangju, Pocheon, Dongducheon, Gapyeong, and Yeoncheon.

Peace Economic Zones are national strategic projects that blend peace and security values with industrial and economic functions, primarily in areas bordering North Korea. Designated zones can develop industrial complexes or tourism districts with benefits such as local tax reductions, fee exemptions, and financial support.

On December 26 last year, the Ministry of Unification revealed its basic plan for Peace Economic Zones. The ministry aims to designate about four zones through pilot projects by late 2026 and additional designations by the end of 2027.

Gyeonggi Province is conducting this candidate site selection as a preparatory measure aligned with the ministry’s plan. The selection process involves accepting proposals from cities and counties, followed by evaluations from a selection committee to identify four candidate sites.

The evaluation process will occur in two stages: an initial written review, followed by presentations and comprehensive assessments including Q&A sessions with city and county representatives. Final results will be announced by late March.

To ensure objectivity and expertise, Gyeonggi Province will adhere to the evaluation framework outlined in the Ministry of Unification’s basic plan. The selection committee, composed mainly of private sector experts, will prioritize fairness and equity among cities and counties during their deliberations.

The province emphasized that this recruitment is not the final step in zone designation, but rather a stage to select candidate sites for future development planning.

Cheol Jeon, head of Gyeonggi Province’s Peace Base Construction Division, stated, “This selection process marks the first official step towards establishing Peace Economic Zones. We aim to fairly evaluate the diverse proposals from our cities and counties. Our objective assessment will focus on feasibility and growth potential rather than predetermined locations.”

Following the candidate site selection, Gyeonggi Province will launch a research project to develop the ‘Gyeonggi Province Peace Economic Zone Development Plan’. The province will then work with the Ministry of Unification to gradually implement the designation procedure for pilot zones in 2026.

To maintain fairness, the selection process and evaluation details will remain confidential. The final zone designations will be determined through deliberation and approval by the Ministry of Unification.