A reckless urban sprawl may appear to lead the development of a city in the short term but it will likely cause serious problems in the long term. For example, it can undermine the city’s safety network, weaken its self-reliability and destroy its natural environment, including forests. Geomuldae-ri in Gimpo City is one of many areas whose environment has been seriously damaged as a result of the reckless construction of factories in the 2000s.
Following the deregulation of land use for factory construction, various types of factories, including foundries, rapidly established themselves in the area. This led to ongoing concerns about soil and air pollution caused by these factories. Relief efforts were made to help affected local people, but the health issues they faced did not subside for as long as the factories were operating. To make matters worse, the stigma associated with Geomuldae-ri as a polluted area caused the local economy to dwindle. Eventually, people started to leave and the area was practically abandoned.

There was a growing consensus that Gimpo needed a fundamental solution to problems arising from coexistence of residential areas and factories. In 2020, the Ministry of Environment and K-water took the initiative in restoring the city. The two organizations signed an agreement with the city of Gimpo and embarked on a preliminary feasibility study as the first step to restore the city.
In May last year, the Gimpo Environmental Regeneration Innovation Multi-Functional Complex Project (hereinafter “the Environmental Regeneration Project”) passed its feasibility study for a public organization, marking the official start of the project. Gimpo is not alone; over 100 areas nationwide, damaged by reckless development, also require fundamental solutions and breakthroughs to restore and revitalize their communities and economies. In this sense, the Environmental Regeneration Project in Gimpo is expected to serve as a leading model for urban regeneration projects that will follow in other cities.

The project is built around four key concepts: Reborn, Resilience, Recycle, and Reunion. "Reborn" signifies that Gimpo will rejuvenate the polluted soil and restore its value as an eco-friendly city. “Resilience”refers to the city’s plan to restore the soil, create a green network and ultimately build a healthy ecosystem. Gimpo also plans to propel itself as a city of recycling by maximizing the use of rainwater, wastewater and waste resources. Lastly, “reunion”means that Gimpo intends to transform itself into a multi-functional city where high-tech industries and residential hinterland coexist.
Once completed, the project is anticipated to generate substantial spillover effects, including KRW 1.79 trillion in production, over 133,000 new jobs, and an enhanced quality of life for local residents. With this renewed momentum, Gimpo will not only restore its damaged environment and revitalize the local economy but also emerge as an eco-friendly, multi-functional city where industries and residential areas coexist harmoniously.