Anyang to enhance quality of life with innovation, entertainment

The city of Anyang, located in the heart of Gyeonggi Province, plans to make a name for itself as one of the most livable cities in South Korea with innovative developments and new cultural activities.

Recognized for its outstanding performance in administrative innovation since 2017, Anyang ranked No. 1 in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s annual innovation assessment of 75 local governments for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024, earning the designation of "self-sufficient city."

The city was particularly noted for its urban design changes in residential areas — implemented to prevent late-night crime — and its AI-based safety services for senior citizens, which help emergency workers save lives in the crucial first hour of a medical emergency.

But Anyang Mayor Choi Dae-ho believes there are more areas where administrative efficiency can make citizens truly happy and enable them to enjoy a high quality of life.

The following is an in-depth look at some of the changes underway for Anyang in terms of urban space and culture.

The Bakdal Smart City project is one of two key development projects that have been ongoing in the city.

The city government is set to relocate underground the existing military ammunition facilities in Manan-gu and renovate an area of about 3.28 million square meters into an integrated zone to attract "fourth industrial revolution"-themed global corporations and nurture local talent for new industries.

The Indeogwon Compact City is another plan to develop a densely populated urban area that integrates industry, housing and culture into a single space, allowing for convenient access to a wide range of facilities.

According to the city government, this future-oriented complex has the potential to become a new city landmark due to its strategic location and easy access to four subway lines: the existing Seoul Subway Line No. 4; the GTX-C line, which links Yangju (north of Seoul) to Suwon (south of Seoul); the Wolpan Line, which connects Pangyo (east of Seoul) to Siheung (west of Seoul); and the Dongtan-Indeogwon Line. The latter three are currently under construction.

Though the two city projects are expected to be completed in the late 2020s, the city government believes the transformation will create jobs, including for young workers, revitalize the local economy, secure a new growth engine and promote Anyang as a place filled with creative ideas.

Meanwhile, some of the city’s changes that can be felt this year relate to cultural life, such as local sports events and access to lesser-known natural areas.

After securing the top spot in K League 2 in 2024, FC Anyang has been promoted to the top-tier football league here — K League 1 — for the first time in club history.

Founded in 2013, the team had not won a K League 2 title until last year.

Aside from the team's social media popularity, an FC Anyang-themed documentary film caught many sports fans’ attention by revealing the unique stories of Anyang-based fans who suddenly lost their team when Anyang LG Cheetahs moved to Seoul in 2004, changing its name to FC Seoul.

The team is set to entertain its supporters with 17 home games at Anyang Stadium in Dongan-gu, eastern Anyang, through October.

The city government plans to unveil hidden areas of the Seoul National University Gwanak Arboretum to the public for the first time in 58 years.

The arboretum, created in 1967, stretches from Seoul’s Gwanak-gu into Anyang and Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province. It has been secluded from the public eye since then.

According to the city government, visitors will be able to explore a 900,000-square-meter area of the arboretum.

Though the exact date for its official opening has yet to be announced, the city government expects to welcome nature lovers from across the country as early as this spring.

It will also rename the arboretum the "Seoul National University Anyang Arboretum" to better reflect that the entrance for visitors is located not in Gwanak-gu but in Anyang.