Former Suncheon Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu: "Turning Crisis into Opportunity through Megacity Construction"

June 1 Local Election: Suncheon Mayor Candidacy Declaration

Former Suncheon Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu (Photo by Noh Gwan-gyu)

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Former Suncheon Mayor Noh Kwan-gyu, who served as the Chief Political Planning Officer of the Presidential Special Advisory Group directly under President Lee Jae-myung in the last presidential election, declared his candidacy for Suncheon mayor in the June 1 nationwide local elections.

In the 21st general election, Noh ran as an independent candidate for the National Assembly despite the strong wave of support for the Democratic Party and received 31.6% of the vote.

Currently, Suncheon is judged to be in a crisis where the spark of growth is fading and it could fall into an era of local extinction. To prevent this and to repay the love Suncheon has given him, he decided to run in this election to serve the region.

He said, "I have had the honor of serving as Suncheon mayor twice and have been evaluated as someone who 'does one thing very well.' In times of crisis, I believe a seasoned leader is needed. During the emergency situation of COVID-19, I quickly normalized the abnormal parts that were handled improvisationally and am confident that I can prepare for the remaining 2023 International Garden Expo better than anyone else," he emphasized.

He pointed out the issue of the waste treatment facility as the most urgent current matter in Suncheon.

Although hundreds of billions of won are spent annually on treatment fees without proper processing, above all, he believes that a highly advanced waste treatment facility is necessary to match the ecological capital status of Suncheon and to reduce carbon emissions in the era of climate crisis.

He stated, "It is not right politically to select a location in a region with a small population and just let it slide. Now, a shift in perception is needed to view waste as a resource. I will turn the waste problem into an opportunity to solve it, establish the identity of Ecological Capital Suncheon, and elevate its status to the next level."

He added, "If we overcome the crisis with an experienced and recognized leader, we can make Suncheon a first-class city. I believe our Suncheon citizens will be able to live with pride and confidence."

He also shared his thoughts on the direction of Suncheon's development.

Noh said, "Suncheon has naturally grown along with Yeosu and Gwangyang due to its good residential environment, but now, in fierce competition, many of Suncheon's competitive advantages are being taken away by Yeosu and Gwangyang. On top of that, huge crises such as the 4th Industrial Revolution, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the era of local extinction are becoming realities."

He continued, "To overcome these crises, we must ultimately move toward a 'mega-city' that integrates Yeosu, Suncheon, and Gwangyang. For our super-aged region, issues such as introducing advanced hospitals, waste treatment, and attracting businesses must be addressed on a metropolitan scale to consolidate scale and pool strength," he emphasized.

To this end, he proposed the following pledges: ▲Construction of next-generation waste treatment facility ▲Introduction of advanced hospital (university hospital) ▲Construction of winter training center ▲Carbon-zero Suncheon ▲Promotion of smart agriculture ▲Development of garden-related industries ▲Pet-friendly city ▲Stay-type tourism city ▲Corporate attraction task force.

Furthermore, he said, "When citizens have high pride in Suncheon, Suncheon naturally develops. Pride in working at a good job, pride in living in a city with excellent education for children, pride in living in a city with clean and clear water and environment, pride in living in a city with medical institutions capable of treating any disease, pride in living in a city visited by tens of millions of tourists annually ? ultimately, I believe that creating a confident Suncheon where we can live proudly is the development of Suncheon."

He added, "Looking back over the past 10 years, there were many mistakes and I received harsh criticism from citizens because of them. Now, exactly 10 years later, starting again from the beginning with more mature age and thoughts, I want to finish well."

Former Suncheon Mayor Noh Kwan-gyu graduated from Suncheon Maesan High School, worked as a level 9 public official at a glove factory park, passed the 34th Judicial Examination, served as a prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Central Investigation Department, chairman of the Democratic Party Budget and Accounts Committee, served as Suncheon mayor during the 4th and 5th local government terms, and was the Chief Political Planning Officer of the Presidential Special Advisory Group directly under President Lee Jae-myung.

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