Pocheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province, has launched a sweeping government reorganization aimed at becoming the central city of the northern Seoul metropolitan area. The core of the plan is establishing a "control tower" that concentrates urban development capabilities in one place, while incorporating future growth engines such as the defense industry and climate response into its administrative structure.
The city said it will expand and reorganize its existing system of six bureaus, three officers, 32 divisions, and two affiliated agencies (two divisions) into a system of seven bureaus, three officers, 34 divisions, and two affiliated agencies (three divisions). The move is intended to enhance urban competitiveness and drive key priority projects at speed.
The central axis of the reorganization is the newly created Urban Strategy Bureau (five divisions, 19 teams). It will unify urban planning and urban development functions into an "Urban Strategy Division" and link them with transportation and green space development functions, serving as a control tower that comprehensively drives the city from planning to execution.
Notably, urban development is not confined to simple spatial expansion but is combined with future industries. An "Advanced Defense Industry Division," responsible for the northern Gyeonggi defense industry development strategy and the fostering of advanced industries, has been placed within the Urban Strategy Bureau. This is interpreted as a strategy to turn the geographical characteristics of a border region into a growth foundation.
A climate crisis response system forms another pillar. The city has established a "Climate Environment Bureau" and a "Climate Energy Division," and placed forestry functions under this bureau. The plan is to enhance synergy between ecosystem conservation and the expansion of carbon sinks. In response to the spread of artificial intelligence (AI), the existing Information and Communications Division has been reorganized into an "AI Policy Officer."
The city also strengthened its foundation for the livelihood economy. To ensure continuity of key population-growth projects such as the designation of education innovation leading zones and peace economic special zones, the Population Growth Bureau system will be maintained, but the Corporate Support Division and the Jobs Economy Division have been incorporated into this bureau. The aim is to link jobs and corporate support with population policy to create a sustainable foundation for population inflow.
Functions closely tied to citizens' daily lives were also reinforced. The public health center will expand to a three-division system by incorporating a Food Sanitation Division, unifying everything from food safety to health management. The Permits Division will be split into Permits Division 1 and 2 to enhance licensing expertise.
"This reorganization is not simply an expansion of the organization but a strategic choice to prepare for Pocheon's future," Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun stressed. "Since we have concentrated urban development capabilities in one place and firmly established a control tower, we will drive at speed the substantial changes and results that citizens can feel." He added, "We will create a competitive city where urban development, industry, environment, and future technology are in harmony, and leap forward vigorously as the central city of the northern Seoul metropolitan area."
