Heo Seok, Mayor of Suncheon, Receives Korea Public Policy Award

Emphasizing Citizen Sovereignty Based on a Citizen-Centered Administrative Philosophy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] On the 21st, Suncheon City announced that Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon received the Grand Prize in the Local Government Division at the 5th Korea Public Policy Awards hosted by the Korean Public Policy Association.

The Korea Public Policy Awards are given annually to individuals, organizations, and public institutions that have contributed to the national social development of Korea.

This year’s award ceremony was omitted due to the spread of COVID-19 and was replaced by an announcement of the winners.

Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon was highly praised for expanding grassroots democracy by emphasizing citizen participation, citizen-led initiatives, and citizen sovereignty based on the administrative philosophy that the center of city governance should be the citizens.

He has been spreading direct democracy through open forums and night talks, emphasizing local communities, and encouraging citizen participation in major city affairs such as the Kimjang Sharing Festival, the rights campaign to alleviate COVID-19 livelihood difficulties, and the activation of volunteer work. Educational projects for nurturing democratic citizens, such as democracy schools, are also being steadily promoted.

Through improving residential conditions in Suncheon, the city has risen to become one of the three major cities in Honam. By introducing universal design, it is developing urban infrastructure that is safe and convenient for everyone including people with disabilities, women, children, and the elderly. Through projects like planting ten million trees and the One-Pyeong Garden Festival, the city is transforming urban areas into gardens.

Furthermore, Suncheon plans to host the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo again after 10 years, completing the entire city as a garden and connecting gardens to industry and ecology to economy, thereby completing an eco-economic city.

Suncheon has presented future development directions through the Namhaean Fermented Food Industry Support Center, the Magnesium Material Parts Industry Cluster, and the establishment of the largest startup incubation center in the Honam region.

Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon said, “Receiving this great award is all thanks to the citizens of Suncheon.” He added, “We will do our best together with the citizens of Suncheon to realize the 3E (Ecology, Education, Economy) project and become a self-sufficient city of 300,000 people.”

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