Yeosu City Holds Policy Meeting with Local National Assembly, Provincial, and City Council Members

Policy Meeting Held to Address Local Issues
and Request 180 Billion Won in National and Provincial Funding

Yeosu City held a policy meeting on the 18th, inviting local members of the National Assembly as well as provincial and city councilors. Photo by Yeosu City

On August 18, Yeosu City held a policy meeting in the public health center conference room, inviting local members of the National Assembly, provincial councilors, and the city council leadership to discuss major local issues and projects seeking support from the national and provincial governments.

This was the first policy meeting held since the launch of the new administration. The purpose was to share updates on the policy directions of central government ministries and Jeollanam-do in response to the national policy agenda announced on August 13, as well as to discuss the progress of key local issues, response strategies, and cooperation plans.

About 30 people attended the meeting, including Mayor Jung Kimyung of Yeosu, senior city officials, Democratic Party National Assembly members Joo Cheolhyeon (Gap) and Cho Gyeweon (Eul), Baek Insook, Chairperson of the Yeosu City Council, and Lee Gwangil, Vice Chairperson of the Jeollanam-do Provincial Council.

Yeosu City presented major issues for the region's future development and projects requesting a total of 180 billion won in funding from the national and provincial governments, calling for active cooperation and support from the National Assembly, the provincial council, and the city council.

The main issues included 16 key projects: strengthening and supporting crisis response in the petrochemical industry; supporting the successful hosting of the 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo; upgrading Yeosu Airport to a hub international airport for the southern coast and Namjung region; constructing the Yeosu-Suncheon Expressway; and establishing Yeosu as a global marine tourism and convention-specialized city.

The projects seeking national and provincial funding included 11 items: establishing a CCUS cluster in the Yeosu Industrial Complex; creating a large-scale ship repair cluster linked to the concentration of shipyards; constructing the Eleven Bridge (Hwatae-Baekya) road; hosting a K-POP star concert; and converting water supply systems for island areas.

Participants held in-depth discussions on the “Yeosu-Geomun route passenger fare support project for non-local residents,” which was at risk of suspension due to budget depletion, and agreed to continue the project stably through the end of the year by coordinating with ferry operators and adjusting the budget.

Mayor Jung Kimyung stated, “To overcome the crisis in the petrochemical industry, prompt measures at the government level and institutional support from the National Assembly are necessary. I ask for your continued interest and support so that Yeosu can make another leap forward, including the successful hosting of the 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo.”

Assemblyman Joo Cheolhyeon said, “It is important to establish and realize a future vision for Yeosu over the next five years under the new administration, and this requires active cooperation between the party and the government. I hope the city will take a proactive approach to addressing issues such as the decline in tourists and also focus on developing tourism content.”

Assemblyman Cho Gyeweon emphasized, “To strengthen the competitiveness of Yeosu’s tourism industry, we must align with the government’s K-culture policy. Attracting a dedicated K-POP arena with a 20,000-seat capacity and a branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art specializing in the marine sector are crucial.”

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