Mayor Lee Gang-deok, "We Will Shape a Sustainable Future for Pohang Where Citizens Are Happy"

Focus on Administrative Power in Four Key Areas: Future Growth, Urban Vitality, Citizen-Centered, and Life Happiness

Emphasizing AI and MICE Industries for a Sustainable Future

Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang emphasized, "Although the difficulties in the domestic industry as a whole are expected to lead to challenges in the local economy, making this a tough year, we will unite all citizens to create a 2025 of total advancement (總和前進) for a sustainable future of Pohang."

Mayor Lee Gang-deok of Pohang is holding a New Year's press conference on the 9th, explaining the direction of city administration for 2025. Photo by Pohang City

On the 9th, Mayor Lee held a New Year's press conference in the city hall's large conference room and stated that despite the difficult political and economic conditions, the city administration will focus its efforts this year on four major areas: future growth, urban vitality, citizen-centered policies, and happiness in daily life.

Mayor Lee expressed his determination to run busier than other cities to secure leadership in the increasingly shorter cycle of industrial competitiveness, expanding future growth value and advancing Pohang as a global economic hub city.

The secondary battery industry, which has established itself as a key local industry alongside the steel industry, plans to secure cutting-edge technology through the Secondary Battery Open Innovation Center and the establishment of the National Advanced Strategic Industry Promotion Agency, while making every effort to become a global K-battery hub city by building a full-cycle battery recycling value chain.

In connection with the bio-specialized complex designated last year, Pohang will create a Pohang-style biohealth convergence cluster and focus on laying the foundation for an innovative biomedical city by promoting the establishment of POSTECH Medical School and a smart hospital to overcome regional medical disparities and cultivate excellent medical personnel.

By establishing an eco-friendly renewable energy production base linked to the hydrogen specialized complex, Pohang aims to lead the global hydrogen market. To secure competitiveness in the era of AI and digital supremacy competition, infrastructure such as the national AI computing center attraction, the establishment of an AI innovation control tower, and a research data integration platform based on high-performance computing will be prepared.

Along with this, Mayor Lee Kang-deok announced that this year, to achieve a quantum leap in urban competitiveness, he will devote all efforts to building a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry base to revitalize the city.

He expressed his ambition to make Pohang a city that leads the world's policy agenda like Davos by hosting the subsidiary meeting (S.I.W) of the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub (UGIH) and the World Green Growth Forum (WGGF), an international conference embodying Pohang Bay's identity.

Furthermore, by strengthening solidarity and cooperation with international organizations such as ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), GGGI (Global Green Growth Institute), and UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), Pohang will expand its global network. The city will also establish a Pohang-style MICE ecosystem through attracting a luxury hotel in Hwanho Park and the establishment and operation of the Pohang International Exhibition and Convention Center Foundation.

Additionally, vacant buildings in the old downtown area, including Jungang Market, will be transformed into spaces combining secondary battery vocational education, housing, and culture, turning them into places that attract young talent. Strategic logistics volume attraction linked to new industries, pioneering the Arctic route, and infrastructure expansion in preparation for the development of the East Sea deep-sea gas field will drive the Yeongilman Port era.

In particular, Mayor Lee raised his voice to unite efforts to complete a livable city through customized policies for all citizens. Amid the difficult livelihood economy, the special guarantee for small business management funds, which greatly supported local small business owners last year, will be expanded to 200 billion KRW, and the secondary loan support for small and medium enterprises will also increase to 150 billion KRW.

To stimulate local consumption, Pohang Love Gift Certificates will be issued in large-scale discounts from the beginning of the year, injecting vitality into the local commercial district through the spread of a sound consumption culture.

Focusing on the education development special zone and glocal universities, youth policy participation and customized youth policies will be strengthened, and in collaboration with educational institutions, 10,000 secondary battery talents will be nurtured by 2030. Alongside this, the long-awaited project to prevent flood damage in the Ocheon area, the construction of Hangsa Dam, and the environmental maintenance of the Hyeongsan River will create a safe Pohang free from flooding.

Finally, Mayor Lee Kang-deok emphasized that he will create a city where everyone can enjoy leisure in daily life through culture, green growth, and happiness in living.

To allow residents to enjoy green urban spaces near their homes, ecological restoration of the four major rivers will proceed sequentially following Haksan Stream, and the Greenway Project will continue to be promoted to become a model case of urban policy responding to climate change.

By creating various themed experiential beaches and a complex cultural space based on the sea's historical and cultural resources, Pohang aims to become a tourism hub city where tourists can stay. Efforts will also be made to expand sports and cultural infrastructure to enhance the city's prestige.

With the opening of the Ainuri Center this year, Pohang-style infant care projects will be comprehensively promoted to respond to the low birthrate crisis. Leading the way, the integrated construction of Buk-gu Health Center and the Disaster Trauma Center will expand public medical infrastructure and strengthen essential medical services focused on childbirth and pediatrics.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, "This year as well, without hesitation or wavering, we will concentrate administrative power for the development of Pohang and the happiness of its citizens," adding, "We will do our best to lay the foundation for Pohang to leap beyond Korea and become a global city."

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