Gwangju City and 76 Organizations and Groups Unite to Revitalize the Economy

Gwangju Economic Stakeholders Resolve to Overcome Crisis at Chamber of Commerce
Step by Step Together... Consumption and Investment Up, Burdens Down

Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong attended the '2025 Gwangju Economy Together Chak-Chak-Chak' event held on the 23rd at the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry's main conference room, and took a commemorative photo with representatives from 76 organizations and groups including economic organizations and industries. Provided by Gwangju City

Gwangju City and 76 local organizations and institutions are joining forces as a "one team" to revive the struggling Gwangju economy. Economic stakeholders have resolved to implement economic measures that will increase consumption, reduce burdens, and boost investment.

On the 23rd, Gwangju City held the "2025 Gwangju Economy Together Step by Step (Good Consumption, Good Finance, Good Jobs) Gwangju" event at the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry's main conference hall, together with 76 organizations and institutions from economic groups and the industrial sector.

The city aims to use this event as a turning point to breathe new life into the local economy, which has been dampened by the "12.3 Martial Law and Impeachment Incident" and the "Jeju Air Passenger Plane Accident," and to set the stage for a new leap forward.

More than 220 people attended the event, including representatives from economic organizations such as the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gwangju Employers Federation, Korea Federation of SMEs, financial institutions such as the Bank of Korea Gwangju-Jeonnam Headquarters, Financial Supervisory Service Gwangju-Jeonnam Branch, Gwangju Bank, and commercial banks, small business groups such as the Gwangju Federation of Microbusinesses and Gwangju Merchants Association, central government agencies such as the Gwangju Regional Office of SMEs and Startups and Gwangju Regional Public Procurement Service, local government agencies such as Gwangju City, district offices, city council, and the office of education, and the industrial sector?a total of 76 organizations and institutions.

Mayor Kang Gijung emphasized, "Currently, Korea is facing a complex political and economic crisis, and without the restoration of democracy, economic recovery is impossible. We must move forward ambidextrously, holding a stronger democracy in one hand and a warmer livelihood economy in the other. Gwangju must respond with even greater competence."

He continued, "Over 70 organizations representing Gwangju?including the economic and financial sectors, city council, public institutions, and local governments?must cooperate firmly and combine their strength to create good consumption, good finance, and good jobs. If we unite our efforts to make democracy stronger and the livelihood economy warmer, I have hope and confidence that the Gwangju economy will steadily improve."

At the event, Lee Byungcheol, Director of Planning and Coordination at Gwangju City, announced the "Gwangju City Livelihood Economy Policy" to overcome the economic crisis, focusing on three core directions: increasing consumption, reducing burdens, and boosting investment. The city will extend the 10% special discount on the Gwangju Mutual Growth Card until February, expand discount coupons for the public delivery app, launch consumption promotion campaigns, and implement various policies to stimulate consumption, such as rapid execution of local finances.

Additionally, eight representatives from economic organizations and companies?including Ji Taesu, CEO of DH Autoware, Kim Dongchan, Executive Vice President of the Gwangju Employers Federation, Kim Youngjip, President of Gwangju Technopark, Lee Sunseok, Regional Policy Director at the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Office of SMEs and Startups, Lee Kisung, President of the Gwangju Federation of Microbusinesses, Kim Seungjae, President of the Gwangju Merchants Association, and Lim Kyungjun, President of the Korea Federation of SMEs Gwangju-Jeonnam Headquarters?expressed their commitment to supporting the livelihood economy and their respective roles through video messages.

Gwangju City, together with eight financial institutions?Gwangju Credit Guarantee Foundation, Gwangju Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, NH Nonghyup Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank, and Kakao Bank?held a signing ceremony for a "Special Guarantee Project for Microbusinesses."

Kim Geuntae, Senior Manager at the Gwangju Employers Federation, and Lee Youngsook, President of the Gwangju Chapter of the Korean Women Consumers Federation, read a mutual cooperation pledge for overcoming the economic crisis through job creation, investment activation, consumption promotion, and support for SMEs and microbusinesses. Sixteen organization and institution representatives signed the pledge.

Meanwhile, after the event, participants from the attending organizations and institutions supported small businesses and contributed to revitalizing the local economy by having lunch at 45 alley commercial districts.

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