Goyang Hearing: Yongin Sports Council Chief Proposes 90-Day Test of Three Public Facilities

A proposal at a public hearing in Goyang, a large city northwest of Seoul, calls for comparing three public sports facilities run under different management models over 90 days. Oh Kwang-hwan, head of the Yongin Special City Sports Council, said the goal is to find the most efficient way to manage each facility rather than apply one model everywhere.

Comparing Operating Models on Common Terms

Oh spoke on November 12 at the 2026 Goyang Special City Sports Development and Sports Council Operation Improvement Hearing, held in the Goyang City Council building and organized by the Goyang Sports Forum. His topic was innovation in facility operations and sustainable finance.

He proposed applying shared indicators to three facilities: usage rates, operating costs, safety management and citizen satisfaction. The facilities would be run directly by the city, by a public institution, by the sports council under contract, or by a private operator. Oh said no single model can be declared best for every facility, and that scale, purpose, staff expertise and safety capacity should guide the choice.

He also cautioned against judging facilities by revenue alone. Programs for people with disabilities, youth and older adults often need extra safety staff and support, so evaluation criteria should reflect each facility's public role.

To expand access without building new venues, Oh suggested using idle hours for students, seniors and people with disabilities, with sport federations providing coaches and programs. He said federations taking on operating roles should be assessed on accounting ability, safety training, coach qualifications and fairness to users.

On finance, he urged local sports councils to diversify income through national and provincial grants, designated corporate sponsorship, local sporting events and facility services, backed by clear accounting and settlement rules. He added that councils, city governments and city councils must cooperate on budgets.

Why It Matters

As the national government plans to build more sports centers, how existing facilities are run will shape whether residents actually benefit. A common yardstick for different management models could give local governments evidence for decisions on operators and support.

Read the original article in Korean: K trendy NEWS