Goyang city plans five-year strategy to foster esports and game industry
In short
Goyang Special City said it will draw up a five-year basic plan to foster esports and the game industry, funded by an 80 million won research service. The study starts in the second half of this year and runs about eight months, with the plan for 2027–2031 to be finalised in the first half of next year. Whether a dedicated arena is built will depend on demand, cost and long-term fiscal burden, the city said.
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Goyang Special City said it will draw up a five-year basic plan to promote the esports and game industries, commissioning a research service worth 80 million won. The budget combines 50 million won in Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism policy research funding with 30 million won in city funds, according to Asia Economy and the Seoul Economic Daily. [ 2 , 3 ]
The study is to begin in the second half of this year and run for about eight months, with the plan covering 2027 to 2031 to be finalised in the first half of next year. Both outlets reported that the funding was secured during National Assembly deliberations on the 2026 government budget, and that the original purpose — examining the feasibility of a small arena and a dedicated practice centre — was widened to cover a strategy for the game industry as a whole. [ 2 , 3 ]
According to the two reports, the research will analyse domestic and foreign policy and market trends and assess the region's industrial base, sites and infrastructure, gathering opinions from residents, young people, companies and teams. On an arena, the city will weigh real demand, project cost, operational feasibility and mid- to long-term fiscal burden, comparing new construction, the use of existing public facilities, small-scale venues and dedicated practice space, and links with private facilities, while reviewing the appropriate scale, location and operator. [ 2 , 3 ]
Other research tasks include attracting companies and teams, hosting domestic and international tournaments, training specialist personnel and supporting startups. The city plans to examine links with KINTEX and with the IP convergence content cluster under construction in Daehwa-dong, Ilsanseo-gu — a facility with 5,198 square metres of floor area intended to support the creation and commercialisation of intellectual property in webtoons, broadcast video and games, scheduled to open in 2028. [ 2 , 3 ]
The basic plan is to include a vision and policy goals, strategies by sector, annual action plans, implementing bodies and budgets, and performance indicators, with the city also looking at securing national and provincial funding through ministry and Gyeonggi Province competitions and at cooperation with private companies and teams. Mayor Min Kyung-sun said esports can create new industrial value by connecting games, content, media and tourism, and that the city will analyse conditions and real demand to set a sustainable direction suited to Goyang. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The plan would tie esports and game industry support to existing venues such as KINTEX and the IP content cluster due to open in Daehwa-dong in 2028, making the city a candidate host for tournaments, teams and content firms. Because the city says it will test demand and fiscal burden before committing to construction, the outcome for a dedicated arena remains open. The documents describe a municipal industry-promotion effort, so its significance beyond Goyang is limited.
Key facts
- Goyang Special City is pursuing a basic plan to promote esports and the game industry. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The city allocated a total of 80 million won for the research service: 50 million won in Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism policy research funding plus 30 million won in city funds. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The study begins in the second half of this year and runs about eight months, with the basic plan for 2027–2031 to be confirmed in the first half of next year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The budget was secured during 2026 government budget deliberations at the National Assembly, and the scope was widened from a feasibility check on a practice centre and small arena to an overall game industry strategy. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The IP convergence content cluster under construction in Daehwa-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, has a floor area of 5,198 square metres and is scheduled to open in 2028. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Mayor Min Kyung-sun said the city will analyse actual demand and conditions to set a sustainable development direction suited to Goyang. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Goyang Special City is preparing a basic plan to foster esports and the game industry. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The research service has a total budget of 80 million won, combining 50 million won in ministry policy research funding and 30 million won in city funds. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The research starts in the second half of this year and is to produce a five-year plan for 2027–2031, confirmed in the first half of next year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The plan is to be linked to KINTEX and the IP convergence content cluster in Daehwa-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, which has a floor area of 5,198 square metres and is due to open in 2028. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether a dedicated esports arena will be built, and at what scale, location and under what operator. The documents say the study will compare new construction, use of existing public facilities, small-scale venues and private facility links, and will judge based on demand, project cost, operational feasibility and mid- to long-term fiscal burden; no decision is reported.
- The exact start date of the research service. Both articles say only that it begins in the second half of this year, without a specific date.
- Any detail beyond the headline in the Kukmin Ilbo report. Only the outlet's headline was available; no article text was provided.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a report that Goyang is moving ahead with an esports industry roadmap. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy reports the city will set up a five-year plan and details the 80 million won research service. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the same plan, describing a mid- to long-term expansion of the esports and game industry. [ 3 ]