[Interview] Park Kyum-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, "Promoting Regional Development through Bukhansan Historical and Cultural Tourism Belt and Urban Regeneration"

Improving Trust in District Administration through Resident Communication and Participation, Realizing Administration Where Residents Are the Owners... Highlighting 'Uidong Family Camping Site,' Scheduled to Open in March Next Year, as a Key Project in the Historical and Cultural Tourism Belt Remaining

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Park Gyeom-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said in an interview marking the midpoint of the 7th local government term, "We will enhance policy execution and completeness to raise the value of the region."

So far, Gangbuk-gu has shown outstanding results in the Korea Manifesto Implementation Evaluation conducted by the Korea Manifesto Practice Headquarters. From 2011 to 2020, it received the highest grade nine times. Mayor Park attributed the secret to fulfilling promises to "communication and participation based on residents' trust as the best way to keep promises," emphasizing, "Designing and revising plans focused on practical benefits for residents and feasible measures is the way to increase trust."

Among the pledge implementation areas in the 7th local government term, the "Healing Historical and Cultural Tourism City" and the "Attractive Development City" stand out. The historical and cultural tourism city is realized through the completion of the Bukhansan Historical and Cultural Tourism Belt project, which Mayor Park has been promoting since the beginning of his term. As the creation of "Gangbuk-gu, a Historical and Cultural Tourism City," the slogan adopted by the district, enters its final stage, it is leading regional change, according to Mayor Park. He pointed to the "Uidong Family Camping Site," scheduled to open in March next year, as the remaining key project of the historical and cultural tourism belt. Mayor Park stated, "The family camping site is not just a place for playing guitar, laughing, and chatting; it will be developed as a 'great public forum' where people can discuss the history of the people from the Goryeo Dynasty to modern times and relax."

The "Attractive Development City" mainly focuses on urban regeneration. It is actively being promoted in areas such as the 4.19 Intersection, Suyu 1-dong, Somang-dong Pine Cooperative Village, Yangji Village, Haetbit Village, and Insu-dong Eojin Village. Customized housing supply for artists, entrepreneurs, and newlyweds, as well as hope zones and alleyway regeneration projects, are steadily progressing step by step. In particular, the 4.19 Intersection and the Uidong amusement park area are expected to transform into central hubs rich in cultural resources.

Mayor Park added, "Sincere fulfillment of pledges has built trust in district administration, which has led to active resident participation," and said, "We will also carry out the remaining unfinished pledge projects without delay so that residents can tangibly feel the changes."

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