Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "This Year Marks the First Year for Gwangju to Become South Korea's No.1 Economic Hub"

Delivering Messages with City and Classical Idioms at the 2020 Opening Ceremony

Urging Commitment to a Prosperous Gwangju Era through "Don't Stop"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, expressed his determination and confidence in promoting city administration, the attitude and participation of public officials, and a strong will for innovation at the 2020 New Year's ceremony by quoting four poems he enjoys reading and one classical idiom.

At the ceremony held on the morning of the 3rd in the large conference room on the 3rd floor of City Hall, Mayor Lee declared, “Based on the achievements of the past year and a half, from this year onward, tangible results that citizens can feel, such as job creation, income increase, and revitalization of the local economy, will begin to appear,” and “This year will be the inaugural year for Gwangju to leap from the political hub of South Korea to the economic hub.”

To this end, he emphasized that this year Gwangju must accomplish major tasks that will rewrite its history, including ▲realizing Gwangju as an AI-centered city ▲constructing the Gwangju Global Motors automobile factory based on labor-management coexistence ▲building the city subway Line 2 ▲attracting large-scale investments through designation as an economic free zone ▲making Gwangju a good place to have and raise children ▲uncovering the truth of the May 18 Democratic Movement and globalizing it ▲and fostering win-win cooperation between Gwangju and Jeonnam.

He then quoted a line from poet Do Jong-hwan’s “Ivy”: “When one lowers their head thinking that the wall cannot be overcome, one ivy leaf leads thousands of ivy leaves to eventually climb over that wall,” saying, “No matter what difficulties arise, I will take the lead and overcome them together with you,” expressing a strong will to push forward and break through key issues.

He also cited Do Jong-hwan’s poem “The Flower That Blooms While Shaking”: “Where is a flower that blooms without shaking? / All the beautiful flowers in this world bloom while shaking / They straighten their stems while shaking,” urging public officials to maintain firm beliefs and attitudes without wavering in any situation.

In particular, he stated, “‘Cheonsangyeoji Pilseongoji (天將與之 必先苦之)’ ? the principle of the world is that when heaven is about to give us something, it first gives us hardship,” and asserted, “If we overcome today’s trials, it will surely become an opportunity for a turning point in Gwangju’s development.”

He continued by emphasizing public officials’ participation, quoting poet Jo Dong-hwa’s “If I Bloom Alone”: “Don’t say, ‘If I bloom alone, will the grassland change?’ / If you bloom and I bloom, won’t the entire grassland become a flower field?”

Furthermore, he stressed, “The lives of 1.5 million Gwangju citizens rest on the shoulders of us public officials,” and said, “No matter what difficulties arise, we cannot stop innovating city administration to create a just and prosperous Gwangju.”

He also quoted poet Yang Gwang-mo’s “Don’t Stop”: “Birds that have a place to go fly in the sky even when it rains, deer that have a place to go climb the mountain even when snow piles up... / Life is a small boat. If you have a place to go, go out to the rough sea even if a typhoon blows,” urging dedication to the era’s mission of building a “just and prosperous Gwangju.”

Mayor Lee said, “The ‘just and prosperous Gwangju’ that you and I must create is a Gwangju where young people return instead of leaving, where people, money, and companies come, and where citizens can proudly say, ‘I live in Gwangju,’” and added, “Until that day comes, let us use ‘innovation, communication, and integrity’ as our compass to seize this rare opportunity for development and leap forward, and establish Gwangju as the future of South Korea.”

He concluded by saying, “Although these are days of relentless work from dawn to late at night without holidays, being able to work with you for the development of our hometown Gwangju is a blessing, joy, and fulfillment for me.”

Earlier, Mayor Lee Yong-seop, along with Kim Dong-chan, Chair of the Gwangju City Council, city council members, Jang Hwi-guk, Superintendent of Education and education office executives, heads of autonomous districts, public institutions, and related organizations totaling about 180 people, paid respects in order at the Gwangju Independence Movement Memorial Tower, the Memorial Tower for the Fallen, the April 19th Tower, and the National May 18 Cemetery.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.