Goyang, in South Korea, announced on Oct. 6 that it will prepare a five-year esports and games-industry strategy, according to Yonhap News Agency. The city will assess demand and operating feasibility before deciding which facilities to pursue and at what scale.
The study has a budget of KRW 80 million: KRW 50 million in policy-research funding from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KRW 30 million from Goyang. It is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026 and run for about eight months. The city aims to finalize the plan, covering 2027–2031, in the first half of 2027.
Options include new construction, reuse of public facilities, small arenas and dedicated practice spaces, and links with private facilities. EToday reports that the study will examine costs, operating feasibility and financial burden before determining appropriate scale, location and operating arrangements.
The national research funding was originally intended to examine the feasibility of a dedicated practice center and small arena. Goyang has broadened the study to include attracting companies and clubs, supporting domestic and international competitions, training specialist staff and helping startups.
The city will also examine links with KINTEX and the IP Convergence Content Cluster under construction in Daehwa-dong. The cluster, scheduled to open in 2028, is intended to support the creation and commercialization of intellectual property in webtoons, broadcasting and games. The study will consider connecting these facilities with esports competitions, content production, exhibitions, visitor experiences and business support.
