Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin Emphasizes Innovation with 2023 Four-Character Idiom 'Haehyeon Gyeongjang'

Sinsangjin, Mayor of Seongnam

[Asia Economy (Seongnam) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin has selected the four-character idiom 'Haehyeon-gyeongjang (解弦更張)' as the motto for next year.

Haehyeon-gyeongjang means "to replace the strings of a geomungo," a four-character idiom symbolizing reform and innovation.

It originated from the wise counsel (賢良對策) given by Dong Zhongshu, a scholar of the Han Dynasty in China, to Emperor Wu, stating, "If the strings of the geomungo are not changed when they should be, even a great musician cannot produce harmonious sounds; similarly, if reforms are not implemented when necessary, no matter how wise a person is, they cannot govern the country well."

Mayor Shin Sang-jin emphasized, "Although Seongnam has infinite potential and resilience, it has been tarnished by corruption controversies. With the attitude of tightening the loosened geomungo strings again, we will eliminate past corruption and innovate city administration to carry out the 8th popularly elected Seongnam city government solely for the citizens."

He added, "In 2023, Seongnam will mark the 50th anniversary of its city status, creating a new turning point. We will foster advanced industries such as system semiconductors and artificial intelligence to secure new growth engines for Seongnam's next 50 years and further transform into a special city leading the 4th Industrial Revolution and the future of the Republic of Korea."

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