‘Mokpo Saehalyong Revitalization’ Policy Proposal Public-Private Forum Held

Collecting Various Opinions on Household Waste Recycling and More

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seunghyun Jeong] A public-private discussion forum proposing policies to revitalize upcycling and recycling was held on the 14th in Mokpo, Jeonnam.

This policy forum was hosted by the Mokpo City Council and jointly organized by the Saengsangnamu Association, Mokpo Environmental Movement Federation, Mokpo Sustainable Development Council, Beautiful Store Foundation, and the social cooperative Together Peace. It focused on utilizing disposable products and household waste that are being recklessly discarded recently, diagnosing the causes of environmental problems, and seeking solutions.

The forum featured presentations including “Mokpo City Waste Generation and Reduction Promotion Plan” by Donggu Park, Director of the Resource Circulation Division at Mokpo City Hall, and “The Path to a Circular Economy” by Sooyul Hong, Director of the Resource Circulation Socioeconomic Research Institute.

Donggu Park, Director of the Resource Circulation Division at Mokpo City Hall, proposed solutions, stating, “Although the population of Mokpo City is declining, the surge in household waste caused by changes in consumption patterns will be addressed through the suppression of disposable products, habitual separation of waste, advancement of waste treatment systems, and revitalization of recycling.”

In response, Sooyul Hong, Director of the Resource Circulation Socioeconomic Research Institute, suggested, “We should shed light on the hidden aspects of electric vehicle renewable energy production packaged in an eco-friendly manner. From an industrial economic perspective, more emphasis should be placed on recycling rather than source reduction, and citizens should create a circular economy through zero waste by reducing household waste.”

The subsequent comprehensive discussion was led by Jongbok Jeong, Executive Director of Saengsangnamu Association, with participation from Yangkyu Kim, member of the Mokpo City Council, Shinhee Park, manager of the Beautiful Store Foundation, and Taeyoung Jung, CEO of the social enterprise Small Action. The discussion focused on “Establishing a system for proper disposal and recycling of separated waste.”

Yangkyu Kim, Mokpo City Council member, emphasized, “To improve the waste collection system and present successful cases of solid fuel processing, it is necessary to reorganize the existing system and install village-level communal household waste collection points in urban residential areas.”

Shinhee Park, manager of the Beautiful Store Foundation, and Taeyoung Jung, CEO of Small Action, argued, “The fastest way to solve the waste problem is to promote a culture of donation to increase the reuse of unused items, and there needs to be a shift in awareness to prioritize purchasing upcycled products that embody environmental value when buying goods.”

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