Gwangju Mayor-Elect Kang Ki-jung Holds Meeting to Develop Regional Development Strategy

'Balanced Development 3.0'... Former Balanced Development Committee Chairpersons Gathered in One Place

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kang Kijeong, mayor-elect of Gwangju Metropolitan City, and the New Gwangju Era Preparation Committee (the 8th term Gwangju mayor transition committee) held a ‘Balanced Development 3.0’ meeting to discuss regional development strategies under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

The meeting included former and current chairs of the National Balanced Development Committee who led the balanced development policies during the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations.

Attendees included Kang Kijeong, mayor-elect of Gwangju Metropolitan City; Kim Sayul, current chair of the National Balanced Development Committee; Seong Gyeongryung and Lee Minwon, former chairs of the National Balanced Development Committee; Jeong Sungkwan, former chair of the Autonomy and Decentralization Committee; Kim Youngjip, external vice president of Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST); Lee Byungtaek, professor at Chonnam National University; and Kim Junho, chairman of the New Gwangju Era Preparation Committee.

Mayor-elect Kang said, “It is an honor to have gathered those who designed the broad framework of national balanced development,” adding, “Yesterday, eight local government heads and members of the National Assembly from Yeongnam and Honam proposed the formation of the ‘Yeongnam-Honam Semiconductor Alliance,’ and we must respond to regional extinction through balanced development policies based on industry and education.”

He continued, “The proposal for the Yeongnam-Honam Semiconductor Alliance signifies a ‘practical alliance’ of ‘corporate attraction alliances’ to prevent regional extinction, going beyond a ‘political alliance’ to an ‘economic alliance.’”

Professor Seong Gyeongryung, the inaugural chair of the National Balanced Development Committee during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, said, “It is meaningful that former chairs of the National Balanced Development Committee and the Autonomy and Decentralization Committee have gathered in one place to share what concerns they had in each era and what needs to be done now,” and added, “I am grateful that Mayor-elect Kang Kijeong is sharing these concerns.”

He also stated, “It is necessary to preserve the Roh Moo-hyun administration’s national balanced development policy in history and to develop and implement a ‘Balanced Development 3.0’ policy suited to the new era,” adding, “History centered on regions is important, and if Gwangju prospers, South Korea can prosper.”

Kim Sayul, chair of the National Balanced Development Committee, said, “The Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s national balanced development policy is represented by ‘Opportunity Development Zones and Decentralization Innovation Zones,’” and expressed hope that “Gwangju will be reborn as a city of opportunity through Opportunity Development Zones in the Yoon Suk-yeol era.”

Former chair Lee Minwon emphasized that balanced development policy is the zeitgeist of South Korea.

Lee said, “Looking at the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s balanced development policy, it is about creating an environment in regions to give them opportunities to lead independently,” adding, “An era has opened where it depends on how regions act.”

Former Autonomy and Decentralization Committee chair Jeong Sungkwan proposed, “Let’s declare local priorities in the National Assembly among national policies,” and argued, “Technological information and political power are core elements of balanced development.”

Mayor-elect Kang emphasized, “There is concern that balanced development might regress at a time when we must advance to the ‘Balanced Development 3.0’ era following the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations,” and added, “I will strive to ensure that the balanced development policy alternatives discussed today are reflected in Gwangju’s municipal administration and South Korea’s national governance.”

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