Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "We Will Create 'Gwangju's Time' with a Spirit of Quick Innovation"

Explanation of Administrative Direction at This Year's First Extraordinary Session

On the morning of the 1st, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, attended the 1st plenary session of the 295th extraordinary meeting held at the Gwangju City Council plenary hall and reported on the major business plans for 2021. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Seon-gang] Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, stated, “Although we are going through a very difficult time as the COVID-19 crisis continues through this year, we are protecting the Gwangju community by implementing strong preemptive measures such as strengthening preemptive testing for high-risk facilities, administrative orders for comprehensive testing of unauthorized educational facilities and dormitories with more than five people, and banning in-person church services, with citizens, medical staff, and quarantine authorities united as one.”

He also emphasized, “With the support of the city council, we have achieved many accomplishments that will change the future of Gwangju.”

At the 295th temporary session of the city council held for the first time this year on the 1st, Mayor Lee stated, “The ‘Gwangju-type Job,’ the world’s first social integration-type labor-management win-win job model led by a local government, was selected as the government-designated first win-win regional job. AI companies and talents with global competitiveness are coming to Gwangju, and through the AI Academy and the AI Graduate School at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, we are producing core AI talents, thus fully opening the era of AI in Gwangju.”

He added, “The designation of the economic free zone, which was the first pledge of the 7th term of the elected government, has been completed, and in anticipation of the urban park sunset clause, we have completed the implementation plan approval for all 24 long-term unexecuted parks, thereby protecting urban parks. Based on these achievements, this year we will accelerate the promotion of the three major Gwangju-type New Deals and create a proud Gwangju where living here is something to boast about through six core policy directions.”

Gwangju City plans to first create an AI-centered industrial ecosystem and attractive investment conditions to generate many high-quality jobs and realize an ‘AI-centered economic Gwangju’ leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The city will begin construction this year of the nation’s only ‘National AI Convergence Complex’ and the world-class ‘National AI Data Center,’ and continue nurturing AI core talents through the second phase of the AI Academy and the AI Graduate School at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology.

Also, designating this year as the inaugural year of an energy self-sufficient city, the city will establish a citizen-centered energy self-sufficiency foundation, aiming to achieve corporate RE100 by 2030, Gwangju RE100 by 2035, and by 2045, a ‘carbon-neutral energy self-sufficient city Gwangju’ that does not receive power energy from outside sources.

Centered on the Gwangju Free Economic Zone Authority, launched on the 1st of last month, the city will focus on attracting companies, and will launch the Gwangju-type public delivery app on July 1 to revitalize the grassroots economy through customized support for small business owners and traditional markets. From September this year, full-scale production of finished vehicles will begin at the Gwangju-type job GGM.

Next, through establishing the correct history of the May 18 Democratic Movement and building a foundation for a democratic human rights peace city, the city plans to create a ‘just and righteous Gwangju.’ The revision of the three May 18 laws will accelerate efforts to set the May 18 history straight.

The city will strictly respond to distortions of May 18 history and strengthen respect for May 18 merit recipients by providing democratic honor allowances to those who previously did not receive livelihood support payments, including May 18 democratic merit recipients and their families.

Plans include the full-scale construction of the National Trauma Center, the Democratic Human Rights Memorial Park project, the creation of a historical experience space at the former site of the 505 Security Unit, and the preservation of the original form of the former Red Cross Hospital, all to establish a foundation for a democratic human rights peace city.

The city will create a ‘warm welfare Gwangju’ where all citizens are happy through inclusive welfare without exclusion or discrimination.

Starting this year, the city will lead efforts to solve the low birthrate problem by fully implementing the ‘Making Gwangju a Good Place to Have and Raise Children’ policy, which includes a birth congratulatory payment of 1 million won and a monthly childcare allowance of 200,000 won for a total of 4.8 million won after birth.

The Gwangju Welfare Foundation will be reorganized into the Gwangju Welfare Research Institute to strengthen policy research functions, and the Social Service Agency will be operated focusing on care services.

For people with severe developmental disabilities, a 24/7 one-on-one care support system will be established, and disability care services will be strengthened to actively support welfare for the disabled.

Through the Senior Job Agency and the Bitgoeul 50+ Center, the city will support social participation of the elderly and middle-aged, and to comprehensively and systematically oversee youth policies, a Youth Policy Officer newly established under the Deputy Mayor will innovate the youth support system and promote substantial youth policies.

The city will build a convenient transportation environment and a pleasant urban ecological environment and create a ‘safe Gwangju where citizens feel comfortable’ that is resilient to infectious diseases and disasters. In preparation for the completion of Urban Railway Line 2, the city will actively promote the reorganization of city bus routes to establish a public transportation system linked to the urban railway.

Systematic maintenance of road facilities such as aging sidewalks that hinder the mobility of transportation-vulnerable groups and citizens’ walking will be carried out to create a safe and walkable road environment. Through projects such as the establishment of the Municipal Arboretum, private park special projects, restoration of the urban ecological axis connecting Jangnok Wetland, Eodeung Mountain, and Bokryong Mountain, and the Gwangjucheon Arirang Waterway project, a pleasant urban ecological environment will be established.

To strengthen the public medical system capable of effectively responding to infectious diseases, disasters, and emergencies, the city will accelerate the establishment of Gwangju Medical Center, build a smart safety management system, and continue to implement a comprehensive fine dust management plan to create a safe and clean Gwangju, thereby securing urban competitiveness.

The city will also create a ‘culturally refined Gwangju’ where culture and arts become part of citizens’ daily lives and where Gwangju’s uniqueness and distinctiveness are reflected throughout the city. The 13th Gwangju Biennale and the 9th Design Biennale will be held, and a world-class exhibition space will be prepared through the construction of the Biennale Exhibition Hall.

Through ongoing projects such as the creation of representative cultural villages and ecological villages, construction of Gwangju’s representative library, Gwangju Literature Hall, and Prehistoric Experience Learning Center, and the establishment of the Asia Arts Garden, cultural spaces embodying regional identity will be created. The Gwangju Gugak regular performances will be established as a representative ongoing performance culture both online and offline. The city will actively foster the cultural content industry through the construction of the Gwangju Realistic Content Cube and e-sports.

Open-type gymnasiums will be built in the Pyeongdong Industrial Complex and Bitgreen Industrial Complex, and a National Sports Center equipped with various sports facilities will be constructed to expand life-friendly sports spaces. The city will also prepare without delay for the construction of the Korea Swimming Center, a legacy of the Gwangju World Swimming Championships, and the hosting of the Gwangju Swimming Championships.

The Sangmu District will be developed into an innovative space combining life, work, and leisure, known as the ‘Second Pangyo Techno Valley,’ and urban regeneration projects around Gwangju Station will be actively promoted to build the largest startup complex in the Honam region. To stabilize housing for households without homes, the city plans to supply ‘Gwangju-type lifelong housing’ to realize a happy residential community.

The city plans to move forward as an ‘innovative Gwangju that changes and challenges’ by strengthening coexistence and cooperation and continuing rigorous administrative innovation based on communication and integrity. Through sincere cooperation with Jeonnam Province, discussions on administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam will be held, and the issue of relocating Gwangju Airport will be addressed by establishing a consultative body involving the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of National Defense, along with close cooperation with the central government to prepare sufficient support measures.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the non-face-to-face digital society, becoming a new opportunity for our city leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” and added, “With a stance of ‘responding and innovating’ this year, we will take the lead in change and make 2021 a ‘Gwangju time’ that no one can follow,” asking for the city council’s unwavering cooperation and trust.

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