‘Youth’ ‘Mega City’ ‘Energy Welfare’ ... Ulsan Announces 12 Key New Year Tasks

12 Core Tasks of Ulsan City Administration in 2022.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Ulsan City announced 12 major tasks to focus on in the new year.

On the 7th, Ulsan City stated that it has selected the "2022 Core Administrative Tasks" and will concentrate its administrative capabilities on them.

The core tasks were chosen after thoroughly reviewing the timeliness, importance, and citizen perception of the tasks recommended by all departments, bureaus, and headquarters.

The direction for implementation was also set. The emphasis is on maximizing administrative performance, complete recovery of daily life from COVID-19, and Ulsan's leap forward.

This year's core tasks for Ulsan are ▲ Creating a Youth Hope City that attracts young people ▲ Leading the era of ultra-wide cooperation with the nationwide first launch of the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) Mega City ▲ Strengthening proactive safety management centered on citizen participation and prevention ▲ Revitalizing jobs in key industries and supporting small business recovery.

Also included are ▲ Focusing on fostering eco-friendly future industries to achieve carbon neutrality ▲ Establishing an international city foundation through the successful hosting of the World Korean Business Convention ▲ Creating a naturalistic garden at Taehwagang National Garden and urban forests in residential areas ▲ Building energy welfare in Ulsan free from cold and heat suffering.

The remaining four are ▲ Establishing Ulsan Medical Center leading public healthcare ▲ Hosting the Harmony, Leap, and Peace Sports Festival uniting Ulsan ▲ Advancing from an industrial city of 60 years to a cultural city ▲ Introducing trams and metropolitan railroads and expanding a well-connected transportation network, all of which are also key tasks for Ulsan.

Looking at the main contents of each task, first, to create a "Youth Hope City that attracts young people," starting this year, all 24-year-old youths in Ulsan will receive an annual youth allowance of 500,000 KRW per person.

A new support project for unemployed youth and a military service youth accident insurance guarantee system will also be established.

Additional support for youth employment incentives, internship support linked to promising industries, and rental fee and deposit interest support for youth households will help young people achieve stable independence and settlement.

Second, to "lead the era of ultra-wide cooperation with the nationwide first launch of the Bu-Ul-Gyeong Mega City," the plan is for the region to lead national balanced development.

In the first half of the year, the nation's first Bu-Ul-Gyeong Special Local Government is scheduled to launch.

Cooperation with nearby cities such as the Haeoreum Alliance (Ulsan, Gyeongju, Pohang) and the Yeongnam Region Future Development Council (five local governments in Yeongnam) will be strengthened to accelerate the creation of the "Yeongnam Grand Mega City," encompassing Bu-Ul-Gyeong and Daegu-Gyeongbuk.

Third, "strengthening proactive safety management centered on citizen participation and prevention" will enhance disaster response capabilities through disaster policies that resonate with and involve citizens.

Ulsan City will begin construction this year of the nation's first practical special disaster training facility to prepare for new types of disasters, scheduled for completion in 2023.

Within the existing "Safety Guardians," where residents inspect and report safety themselves, a new U-Student group involving students and youth will be formed.

To prepare for heatwaves, a "citywide parasol-wearing campaign" will be conducted, and customized cooling supplies will be provided to 3,000 vulnerable households.

Fourth, administrative efforts will focus on "revitalizing jobs in key industries and supporting small business recovery."

Labor, management, and government will join forces to stabilize management so that the shipbuilding industry's order boom translates into real jobs.

In the automobile industry, a labor transition support system will be established centered on a preemptive employment stability package to prepare for industrial restructuring due to eco-friendly and smart transformation.

Support projects such as the Hope Job Keeper Project and employment insurance premium support for one-person small business owners will continue to aid small business damage recovery.

Fifth, through "focusing on fostering eco-friendly future industries to achieve carbon neutrality," the plan is to lead energy structure transformation and carbon neutrality realization.

The floating offshore wind power project aims to create 9GW by 2030, accelerating technology localization, private permits, and the formation of a public-private council.

Construction of a hydrogen electric vehicle safety inspection center and safety certification center will support the realization of the world's top hydrogen city, and foundations for nurturing future talent will be strengthened through local government-university cooperative regional innovation projects and the establishment of a national carbon neutrality specialized science museum.

Sixth, "establishing an international city foundation through the successful hosting of the World Korean Business Convention" aims to activate overseas investment attraction, create jobs, and elevate the city's status.

At the 20th World Korean Business Convention held in Ulsan this November, support will be provided to activate local companies' overseas market entry and investment attraction and increase overseas employment opportunities.

The 13th Working Committee of the Northeast Asia Regional Association of Local Governments (NEAR) will also be held in Ulsan this September, following Ulsan's selection as the chair country of NEAR in August last year.

Seventh, "creating a naturalistic garden at Taehwagang National Garden and urban forests in residential areas" plans to make Ulsan a green city with forests and gardens.

The naturalistic garden by world-renowned garden master Piet Oudolf will be created for the first time in Asia at Taehwagang National Garden.

Urban forests, which act as carbon sinks, will be continuously expanded, and the Ulsan Carbon Neutral Support Center, supporting carbon neutrality policy development, is scheduled to open in July.

Eighth, aiming to "build energy welfare in Ulsan free from cold and heat suffering," 12,000 households will receive cooling and heating devices worth about 6 billion KRW this year.

The city and the Community Chest of Korea will jointly conduct the "Energy Sharing Fundraising Project," gradually strengthening energy welfare for about 36,000 vulnerable households by 2023.

Ninth, "establishing Ulsan Medical Center leading public healthcare." Ulsan City has set establishing a general hospital-level local medical center with 500 beds and 22 medical departments as a key task.

The goal is to open in 2027 with a project cost of about 288 billion KRW. Last year, the site was confirmed in Changpyeong-dong, Buk-gu, and the project plan was submitted to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Design costs of 1 billion KRW were secured in the 2022 government budget.

Tenth, "hosting the Harmony, Leap, and Peace Sports Festival uniting Ulsan" reflects the determination to successfully hold the 103rd National Sports Festival and the 42nd National Para Sports Festival this October.

This sports festival will be the first fully held event in three years since COVID-19 and will be held in Ulsan for the first time in 17 years since 2005.

Eleventh, "advancing from an industrial city of 60 years to a cultural city" embodies the vision to newly leap into a cultural city on the 60th anniversary of Ulsan Industrial Center designation.

In December last year, Ulsan was selected as the 4th preliminary cultural city by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This year, 11 projects in four fields will be actively promoted to challenge designation as a statutory cultural city by the end of December.

The Ulsan Museum of Art, opened on January 6, plans to grow into Asia's best collection museum and a world-class media art museum through international-level artwork collection and exhibitions.

The Ulsan Content Enterprise Support Center also opened in January, significantly increasing support for fostering the content industry, including the Global Game Center and Ulsan Webtoon Campus.

Lastly, twelfth, through "introducing trams and metropolitan railroads and expanding a well-connected transportation network," the plan is to solidify the foundation for a major transportation innovation in Ulsan.

The urban railroad plan has received government approval, and the Ulsan metropolitan railroad project is included in the "4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan." This year, all efforts will focus on passing various feasibility verifications.

Construction of the 2nd Myeongchon Bridge and expansion of the national road from Beomseo, Ulju to Oedong, Gyeongju will accelerate road network development to improve outer movement and city center accessibility.

An official from Ulsan City said, "Beyond overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, this year is the time to concentrate capabilities on livelihood and economic recovery," adding, "We will focus on producing tangible results that citizens can feel, such as creating quality jobs and revitalizing the local economy."

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