[Interview] Park Dongsik, Elected Mayor of Sacheon, "A New Beginning for a Happy City"

Inspection of Issues and Improvements at 22 Major Business Sites

Park Dong-sik, Mayor of Sacheon.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Park Dong-sik, the elected mayor who will lead Sacheon City, Gyeongnam Province in the 8th term of local government, has put forward the "Early Establishment of the Aerospace Administration in Sacheon" and "Revitalization of the Stagnant Local Economy" as his top pledges. Since then, he has embarked on a swift course toward a "New Beginning, Happy City Sacheon."

He has already inspected 22 major business sites to identify anticipated problems and areas for improvement. He is continuing a relentless schedule day and night, receiving reports on key tasks from each department.

We heard about Park Dong-sik's vision and goals for Sacheon City in the 8th term of local government.

- What are your plans going forward?

"Sacheon City in Gyeongnam is currently suffering greatly due to the economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, with many citizens experiencing hardships. I believe that being chosen during this critical time is a mandate to skillfully and swiftly resolve the numerous pressing issues and to take good care of the suffering citizens. I will do my utmost to revive Sacheon's stagnant economy. I will devote all my efforts to ensure the early establishment of the Aerospace Administration, which is Sacheon's biggest pending issue."

- What is the direction of the 8th term local government administration?

"The final direction of the 8th term administration is to make Sacheon soar high with two wings: the manufacturing industry centered on the aerospace industry and the marine tourism industry through the construction of tourism infrastructure."

"First, we plan to concentrate all administrative power on the early establishment of the Aerospace Administration, and related infrastructure construction projects will proceed without delay. We will also take measures to ensure that the Aerospace Administration can settle properly by preparing residential conditions and building educational infrastructure without neglect."

"The 8th term will focus on making Sacheon a city that spreads its two wings of aerospace industry and marine tourism industry wide and soars, concentrating all administrative capabilities to revive the stagnant Sacheon economy and promote projects for citizens' happiness. We will enhance the technological competitiveness of MRO and aerospace manufacturing industries to transform them into high value-added industries. With the establishment of the Aerospace Administration as a turning point, Sacheon will stand at the center of Korea's leap to become the world's 7th space power. We will create ecological and recreational tourism infrastructure in the beautiful Hallyeohaesang to attract tourists and use it as a catalyst to revitalize the stagnant local economy."

"By creating cultural and sports facility infrastructure, we will expand the foundation for citizens' leisure activities, and continuously expand residential conditions directly related to citizens' lives, such as public postpartum care centers and children's experiential playgrounds, greatly enhancing citizens' happiness. If the pledged projects proceed normally one by one, I am confident that Sacheon can transform into the nation's leading aerospace industry hub and marine tourism base city."

- What are the key projects to be promoted in the 8th term?

"The 'Early Establishment of the Aerospace Administration' will upgrade Sacheon, an aerospace industrial city, to a higher level. The establishment of the Aerospace Administration in Sacheon has been clearly confirmed as part of the Yoon Seok-yeol government's 110 national tasks. In particular, the aerospace industry, which shares core technologies for the design and production of satellites and launch vehicles related to space, has very high interoperability and must be nurtured in connection to maximize synergy. Advanced aerospace industry countries like the U.S. Boeing and Europe's Airbus are developing space technology advancement and platforms centered on aerospace companies."

Park Dong-sik, Mayor of Sacheon.

- What are the urgent issues and how will you solve them?

"The ultimate goal of the pledges is to create a happy city. We will focus on revitalizing Sacheon's local economy, which has been on a downward path due to the impact of COVID-19, and will implement feasible policies first. The very first step will be to issue Sacheon Love Gift Certificates. Sacheon was the only city in Gyeongnam without a local love gift certificate, which caused much dissatisfaction among citizens, but from next year, we will do our best to revive the local commercial district."

"To help small business owners and self-employed people who are in crisis due to COVID-19 stabilize their management, we will provide up to 50 million KRW each for operating funds and startup funds. We will support 600 million KRW in contributions to the Gyeongnam Credit Guarantee Foundation and continue to provide 7.2 billion KRW in credit guarantees. Also, we will support 2.5% interest on loan interest rates for one year."

"We will accumulate incentives for one year to build a social safety net for small business owners in preparation for closure, old age, and death, and expand projects to improve the business environment of small business owners' stores. By expanding electrical, fire, safety, and parking infrastructure, we will revitalize traditional markets and enhance competitiveness. Sacheon Eup Market will be supported to strengthen merchants' self-sustainability and develop into a local lifestyle market through specialized market development projects."

- You promised to provide 300,000 KRW disaster recovery support funds to all citizens. How will you secure the budget?

"To provide the COVID-19 emergency disaster relief funds, we must first enact a support ordinance, which I understand will be done at the June temporary city council meeting. After the ordinance is enacted, we will establish a separate plan regarding support criteria and methods and proceed accordingly. Although it is difficult to specify the exact timing, we aim to provide the funds before Chuseok in September if possible. Currently, Sacheon has about 112,000 citizens, and excluding incidental operating costs, providing 300,000 KRW per person is expected to require a budget of about 33 billion KRW."

- You did not form a mayoral transition committee. Is there a reason?

"The transition committee can be formed and operated based on Article 105 of the Local Autonomy Act. It can be composed of up to 15 members, including one chairman and one vice-chairman, and advisory members can be appointed if necessary. For efficiency, administrative staff can be assigned, and requests for dispatch of city hall employees, office space, equipment, communication services, and vehicle support can be made. Requests for submission of Sacheon City data, information, or opinions can also be made. But what if such authority and support lead to transition committee members interfering in personnel affairs or various vested interests such as construction permits? Moreover, if transition committee members say or act wrongly about the direction of city administration without my consent, it would directly lead to misfortune for Sacheon citizens and the city. Since about 900 public officials have led Sacheon well so far and I believe they will continue to do so, I decided not to form a transition committee."

- Population decline is a concern for local governments nationwide except for metropolitan areas like the capital region. Sacheon is no exception. Do you have measures to increase the population?

"Population policy is a complex and difficult issue intertwined with all our city's policies such as industry, culture, and environment. Fortunately, our city has optimal conditions where industry and nature harmonize. It is a domestic aerospace industry cluster, with excellent accessibility to various transportation facilities such as ports, airports, and roads, and boasts the outstanding natural scenery of Hallyeohaesang. Although the aerospace industry is temporarily facing a crisis due to COVID-19, it is a national strategic industry and a future innovative growth engine."

"If projects such as the Gyeongnam Aerospace National Industrial Complex and Yongdang Aerospace MRO proceed smoothly, Sacheon will naturally become a genuine aerospace city of Korea, and population will increase through job creation. Also, population growth is expected through job creation in the tourism service sector, including the construction of competitive tourism infrastructure centered on the Sacheon Sea Cable Car and the creation of the Sacheon Aerospace Education Park. Especially, the three western townships are preferred by retirees, with a high possibility of population inflow from the baby boomer generation. We will make it a happy city for the elderly by establishing a return-to-farming and return-to-fishing support system."

- You emphasize communication with citizens. What measures do you have?

"Since my candidacy, I have emphasized 'citizen-centered administration communicating with citizens.' First, I will communicate with citizens with a humble attitude and open the mayor's office so that anyone can meet the mayor anytime. I will realize on-site administration by going into the citizens. Immediately after inauguration, I plan to tour 14 eup, myeon, and dong districts to have dialogue time with citizens."

- Any message to the citizens?

"I thank all citizens who trusted and gave full support during these difficult times such as COVID-19. During the campaign, I promised to be a mayor who works well rather than one who speaks well, a mayor who is bright on the field rather than one who is theoretically knowledgeable, and a mayor who listens carefully to citizens rather than one who talks a lot about what he knows. I will strive to be such a mayor."

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