Gwangju City Announces 4 Major Strategies and 26 Tasks for 'Ultra-Wide Green, Smart, and Fun City Development'

Daejeon Transition Special Committee's Interim Report on the Vision and Strategy for a 'Bigger and Stronger Gwangju'

Specific Directions for Each Task to be Finalized by June... Proposal Scheduled for the 8th Elected Administration

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Special Committee on Great Transformation under the Gwangju Metropolitan City Innovation Promotion Committee held its 3rd plenary meeting on the 28th and conducted an interim report on Gwangju's future vision, strategies, and representative detailed tasks by sector.

Based on discussions among the committee members, the Great Transformation Special Committee established the future vision as "A Bigger and Stronger Gwangju," which signifies Gwangju's external and internal growth. The goal set to achieve this is the creation of a "Super-regional Green-Smart-Fun City."

Additionally, among a total of 65 planning proposals submitted by the members and external experts, 26 projects deemed necessary for Gwangju's future development were selected as tasks to be promoted by each division. The committee plans to further specify the direction of implementation and propose them during the 8th local government administration.

Chairman Jang Seokju of the Great Transformation Special Committee explained, "'A Bigger and Stronger Gwangju' means Gwangju's external and internal growth," adding, "'A Bigger Gwangju' refers to the external spatial expansion of Gwangju with the strategy of establishing a 'Super-regional Region,' and 'A Stronger Gwangju' is an internal growth strategy through creating a 'Green-Smart-Fun City' that dramatically improves urban competitiveness and citizens' quality of life."

In the super-regional region sector, three projects were selected to lead the era of local cooperation and coexistence: ▲ Establishment of the Bitgoeul Smart Megacity with adjacent cities and counties ▲ Creation of the Yeongsan River super-regional ecological, historical, cultural, and tourism belt ▲ Establishment of the super-regional southern economic zone linking Honam, Southeast, and Daegyeong regions.

The green sector includes three major strategies: ▲ Ever-green city Gwangju ▲ Carbon-zero city Gwangju responding to the climate crisis ▲ Fine dust-clear city Gwangju, encompassing seven tasks. The representative task selected was "Improvement of the access route to the summit of Mudeungsan with eco-friendly transportation."

The smart sector includes three major strategies: ▲ Digital city Gwangju where new opportunities unfold ▲ Growth city Gwangju nurtured by artificial intelligence ▲ Safe and secure city Gwangju protected by artificial intelligence, including eight tasks.

Two representative tasks selected were "Establishment of the Gwangju-type Virtual Convergence Urban Community Platform" and "Establishment of the Gwangju-type Artificial Intelligence Talent and Job Creation Platform."

The fun sector, which attracts much citizen interest, includes three major strategies: ▲ Themed tourism city Gwangju ▲ Walkable city Gwangju ▲ Cultural content production city Gwangju, with eight tasks. Two representative tasks selected were "Creation of Gwangju EBS Character Land" and "Attraction of a large-scale complex shopping mall."

In particular, regarding the recently focused complex shopping mall, discussions were held on the mall's location, coexistence with local small business owners, and ways to contribute to the local economy. Regarding location, there was a debate among committee members about the pros and cons of downtown versus outskirts. Based on cases of attracting complex shopping malls in other regions, various coexistence measures were discussed, including the establishment of a coexistence cooperation fund, priority hiring of local talent, adjustment of sales items, and the opening of direct sales stores for local agricultural and marine products.

Based on the discussions, the committee plans to further specify the direction of promotion and finally propose it to the 8th local government administration in June.

Mayor Lee Yongseop said, "Now is an era of great transformation where innovative ideas that break existing frameworks and fixed ideas can open a sustainable future," adding, "I hope the 'Gwangju Great Transformation Special Committee' will propose many wise policies to open the era of 'A Bigger and Stronger Gwangju,' surpassing the 7th local government administration's goal of 'A Just and Prosperous Gwangju,' and the proposed contents will be actively reflected in city administration."

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