Mun-in, Mayor of Gwangju Buk-gu, "Will Communicate with Residents Until the End of the 7th Elected Term"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Moon In, the mayor of Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, expressed his gratitude to the 430,000 residents who actively cooperated in overcoming COVID-19 and to the public officials who have worked hard in quarantine management as he enters the fourth year of the 7th local government administration.

Mayor Moon of Buk-gu stated on the 5th, “We will turn this crisis into an opportunity for change and communicate with the residents on site until the end of the 7th local government term to make Buk-gu a city where people want to live and a good city to live in.”

Over the past three years, Buk-gu has achieved a total of 348 awards in various evaluations and contests, securing the largest amount of prize money in history, totaling 132.1 billion KRW.

Also, since Mayor Moon is an experienced administrator who has held key positions in central government ministries and Gwangju City, Buk-gu has secured 50.8 billion KRW in special grants and special subsidies, which depend on the capabilities of the head of the organization, to resolve local issues.

Buk-gu has also focused on revitalizing the local economy and minimizing the damage to small business owners suffering from COVID-19.

The first pledge of the 7th local government term, the Comprehensive Economic Support Center, and the ‘Self-Employment Support Center,’ which was opened locally for the first time in July last year, have been operated. Customized support policies are being implemented, including fostering new industries such as drones, improving living conditions in small and medium-sized enterprises and industrial complexes, strengthening the self-reliance of small business owners, revitalizing neighborhood markets, and financial welfare.

Urban regeneration projects and the expansion of living and cultural infrastructure for balanced regional development and improving residents’ quality of life are notable achievements.

By 2023, Buk-gu plans to promote a university town-type urban regeneration New Deal project worth 30 billion KRW and the Imdong urban regeneration New Deal project with an investment of 8 billion KRW. The area around Gwangju Station, an urban regeneration innovation district, will be linked with Gwangju City’s economic base-type urban regeneration project and the Green Startup Town creation project to become a nationally representative startup hub.

In particular, by next year, 16 billion KRW will be invested to build the Buk-gu Comprehensive Gymnasium, and with a total of 54 billion KRW, two complex sports centers, two public libraries in Jungheung and Sinyong, and the Usandong Living SOC Complex Project, which includes residential parking lots, will be promoted.

In December last year, the Buk-gu Cultural Center was opened, resolving a long-standing wish of local residents, and in March this year, the Munheung Underpass was reborn as a public art gallery together with residents and local artists.

In line with the 13th Gwangju Biennale, the nation’s first pilot project for visual design was promoted, improving the urban landscape by expanding sidewalks around the Biennale exhibition hall and installing LED lighting.

The media facade performance, which attracted great interest from citizens and visitors during the event, is planned to hold a special exhibition during the 9th Gwangju Design Biennale as well, with the intention to develop it into a representative visual media culture of Gwangju in the future.

Buk-gu provides customized welfare services for each life cycle, such as child-friendly city certification projects, expansion of national and public daycare centers, and operation of dementia relief centers, and is building a new welfare system by developing digital welfare administration solutions for vulnerable groups living in permanent rental housing.

To prepare for the post-COVID-19 era, Buk-gu is actively promoting the ‘Buk-gu-type New Deal,’ consisting of 52 projects in three areas: digital, green, and safety net reinforcement, linked with the Korean New Deal.

Mayor Moon said, “Last year, we opened the era of a 1 trillion KRW budget and laid the foundation for sustainable growth by discovering projects essential for the future development of Buk-gu,” adding, “We will continue to prioritize resident-centered and innovative administration as the highest value of district governance and steadily promote major pending projects.”

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