Local innovation drives national growth, committee says

The Presidential Committee for a Balanced Era of Local Governments, together with the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), held the 2026 Regional Balanced Growth Outstanding Cases Awards Ceremony and Exhibition on Wednesday at Gwanseong Hall in Okcheon-gun, North Chungcheong Province.

The event was organized to share best practices that have improved residents' quality of life and revitalized local communities, and to recognize local governments and individuals who worked to advance the program.

At the ceremony, commendations were presented to 21 organizations and 37 individuals, including one presidential commendation, one prime ministerial commendation and six ministerial commendations. The organizational awards covered 20 outstanding case recipients and one local government recognized for excellence in project evaluation and management.

The presidential commendation went to Hadong-gun in South Gyeongsang Province for its "Youth Who Stay, a City That Lives — Hadong Landmark" project, which revitalized the area around the former Hadong Station and encouraged young people to settle in the region. The prime ministerial commendation went to Okcheon-gun in North Chungcheong Province for its "Basic Living Hub SOC That Changes the Lives of Okcheon Residents" project, which used a local needs survey to build community facilities — including a public bathhouse, a multipurpose hall and a children's welfare center — improving living conditions and attracting people relocating to rural areas.

An exhibition showcasing 20 outstanding cases was also held in the venue lobby.

The committee produced a casebook documenting the results and implementation processes of the selected projects for distribution to local project managers and residents, and plans to continue sharing and promoting the outcomes through online content on its Balanced Development Integrated Information System.

"I am grateful for the dedication of the award recipients, who have worked quietly to transform the lives of residents," committee Chair Park Jeong-hyeon said. "The committee will stand firmly alongside local communities so that the excellent outcomes achieved on the ground can spread across the country, and so that small changes in our regions can lead to new growth for South Korea."