Completion of Changwon Mayor Transition Committee Journey: "Changwon in the 8th Civilian Government Will Become a Northeast Asia Hub City"

Chairman Jo Young-pa of the Changwon City Mayor Transition Committee in Gyeongnam is announcing the results of the committee's activities. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Changwon Special City Mayor Transition Committee in Gyeongnam held a press conference on the 29th to conclude its activities.

The transition committee, launched on the 8th, was composed of six divisions: Planning Coordination, Industrial Economy, Social Welfare, Education and Culture, Urban Planning, and Youth & Women.

They carried out activities such as ▲setting the administrative direction for the 8th elected term ▲finalizing the elected mayor’s campaign promises and establishing implementation plans ▲preparing measures to secure next year’s government budget ▲analyzing residents’ long-standing projects and major administrative issues.

Chairman Jo Youngpa said, “Reflecting the administrative philosophy of Mayor-elect Hong Nampyo, we set the vision for the 8th elected term as making Changwon a Northeast Asia central city with the goal of ‘Ilsa Cheonri’.”

The term ‘Ilsa Cheonri’ embodies the characteristics of the Changwon, Masan, and Jinhae regions, aiming to become ▲the hub of the 4th Industrial Revolution ▲one of the world’s four major beautiful harbors ▲one of the world’s seven major port logistics cities ▲the second largest regional central city in South Korea.

Accordingly, the transition committee prepared five strategies: ▲building an innovative growth economic base ▲creating a caring welfare and happy ecosystem ▲establishing a cultured and refined city environment ▲restructuring the integrated urban spatial structure ▲realizing the dreams and hopes of youth.

Following the first strategy, ‘Building an Innovative Growth Economic Base,’ 12 implementation tasks were set to establish Changwon as a mecca of the 4th Industrial Revolution, including early normalization of the nuclear power industry and attracting advanced defense science technology.

‘Creating a Caring Welfare and Happy Ecosystem’ includes 14 tailored welfare implementation tasks by class and life cycle, such as establishing the Changwon Mom Community Center for working mothers and supporting reemployment and startups for the middle-aged 40s and 50s generation.

‘Establishing a Cultured and Refined City Environment’ selected 18 implementation tasks, including expanding cultural enjoyment facilities like an international arena performance hall and building a carbon-neutral responsibility implementation system for a sustainable future environmental city.

The ‘Restructuring the Integrated Urban Spatial Structure’ strategy consists of 21 urban space restructuring implementation tasks, such as regulating single-family residential areas, rationally adjusting development-restricted zones, and improving transportation infrastructure.

The final strategy, ‘Realizing the Dreams and Hopes of Youth,’ set five implementation tasks, including creating residential conditions where youth want to stay by establishing a youth-dedicated department directly under the mayor and supporting the creation of employment and startup environments that attract youth.

On this day, Chairman Jo said, “We selected transparency, communication, innovation, and accountability as the core values of Changwon city administration,” adding, “City officials will carry out all administrative tasks based on these four values.”

He continued that the 64 campaign promises were refined by removing three with low effectiveness through expert consultation and internal meetings, and adding nine tasks such as fostering the future urban air transportation industry and establishing a carbon-neutral implementation system, finalizing 11 major policy tasks and 70 implementation tasks.

The transition committee plans to finalize the 70 campaign promises and implementation plans by July 6 and disclose the campaign implementation plan by the 29th of the same month.

Hong Nampyo, the elected mayor of Changwon, Gyeongnam, is talking with reporters after announcing the results of the transition committee's activities. / Photo by Se Ryeong Lee ryeong@

Meanwhile, the transition committee operated the Current Issues TF Team and Citizen Communication TF Team to oversee overall administration and discuss improvement measures reflecting citizens’ voices.

The Current Issues TF Team analyzed data and visited sites for 14 projects, including the Masan Marine New City and Changwon Complex Cultural Administrative Town (SM Town), recommending detailed measures for project normalization.

The Citizen Communication TF Team received 414 complaints regarding the 8th elected term administration, of which 256 cases (61.8%) were handled in cooperation with relevant departments, and the remaining 158 cases were transferred to the Citizen Communication Officer for resolution.

Finally, the transition committee suggested organizing an organic organizational system and enhancing fiscal soundness to provide momentum for fulfilling campaign promises and advancing major issues.

In the first activity of the transition committee, the departmental major work reports pointed out the need to cultivate strategic thinking centered on demanders and strengthen interdepartmental connectivity as improvement tasks, demanding innovation into an organization equipped with competitiveness to respond swiftly to changes.

Additionally, meetings were held to promote core industries such as nuclear power, hydrogen, and defense, listening to corporate difficulties and proposing corporate support measures for industrial ecosystem recovery to the 8th elected term administration.

Chairman Jo Youngpa expressed gratitude to the transition committee members and related public officials who passionately worked for 22 days, saying, “I hope the transition committee’s activities will contribute to fulfilling the elected mayor’s promises to citizens and the successful start of the 8th elected term.”

Mayor-elect Hong Nampyo said, “I bow my head in gratitude to the transition committee members who worked hard for the 8th elected term Changwon Special City, starting with new hope,” adding, “Based on the reviewed opinions, I will do my utmost together with Changwon city officials to make Changwon a Northeast Asia central city.”

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