"Gyeongnam Presents Post-Management Paradigm for Urban Regeneration... Emphasizing Sustainability"

3rd Urban Regeneration Policy Forum Brings Together Academia, Local Governments, and Administration
"Urban regeneration must go beyond building remodeling to encompass residents' quality of life, industrial linkages, and sustainable operation models"

The 3rd Urban Regeneration Policy Forum, hosted by Gyeongsangnam-do and organized by the Gyeongnam Urban Regeneration Support Center, was held at the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government Office on September 19.

This forum focused on the balanced growth of small and medium-sized local cities and sustainable urban regeneration, bringing together experts from academia, administration, and local governments.

The event began with registration and an opening ceremony. The Chair of the Construction and Firefighting Committee, the Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs, and the Director of the Urban Housing Bureau attended and delivered welcoming remarks, emphasizing that "urban regeneration must go beyond mere physical improvements to ensure enhanced quality of life for residents and balanced regional development."

A presenter is giving a presentation at the 3rd Urban Regeneration Policy Forum 2025 in Gyeongsangnam-do.

The main presentations highlighted the realities and challenges faced in the field.

Kim Itak, CEO of Urban and Future, presented on "Urban Regeneration Strategies for Balanced Growth in Small and Medium-Sized Local Cities," diagnosing that "as the regional structure is reorganized around five major hubs, balanced development strategies through urban regeneration are urgently needed to prevent small and medium-sized cities from being marginalized."

Lim Sangyeon, a researcher at the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, spoke on "The Need for Post-Management in Urban Regeneration and Local Government Response Measures," stressing that "the success or failure of regeneration projects is determined in the post-management phase," and highlighting the necessity of a robust post-management system.

Park Jin-ho, Director of the Gyeongnam Urban Regeneration Support Center, presented on "The Status and Sustainable Strategies of Urban Regeneration in Gyeongsangnam-do," explaining that "ahead of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s public project, Gyeongnam is focusing its efforts on tailored consulting for each local government and establishing a post-management system."

A discussion is underway on establishing post-management measures for sustainable urban regeneration.

During the discussion session, "sustainability" emerged as the central theme.

In the discussion moderated by Choi Yeol, a member of the Central Urban Planning Committee, Jeong Heeseong, a member of the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Council (Construction and Firefighting Committee, Special Committee on Budget and Accounts), pointed out that "urban regeneration focused on short-term results can ultimately lead to a vicious cycle of urban decline," and emphasized the importance of maintaining institutional and policy consistency among local governments as a key post-management measure for sustainable urban regeneration.

Son Kiuk, Director of Future Development for Hamyang County, discussed the difficulties faced by rural counties in urban regeneration, stressing that "establishing the stability of personnel through the corporatization of urban regeneration centers is essential, and in regions facing population extinction, the self-sufficiency of residents is crucial."

Jang Byungsoo, Director of the Miryang Cultural City Center, introduced the cultural urban regeneration case of the former Miryang University Sunshine Campus and proposed the need for a sustainable operation model that integrates cultural and artistic resources.

This forum is significant as it lays the foundation for Gyeongnam’s "post-management-oriented urban regeneration" strategy.

Following the Urban Regeneration New Deal, there is a growing demand for regeneration projects to go beyond building remodeling and expand into restoring resident communities, linking with local industries, and developing sustainable operation models.

Experts unanimously pointed out that "sustainable urban regeneration is only possible when the expansion of resident participation, securing financial stability, and strengthening public-private cooperation structures are pursued together." In particular, the importance of "intermediary support organizations responsible for post-regeneration," as seen in major overseas cities, was highlighted.

One official stated, "Given that Gyeongnam is a region highly dependent on exports and manufacturing, it is essential to build an urban regeneration model that revitalizes the economy while restoring living infrastructure," adding, "Differentiated strategies and continuous management systems tailored to each local government are key."

This 3rd Policy Forum was meaningful in that the administration, academia, and field practitioners jointly presented a "post-management paradigm" for urban regeneration. Attention is now focused on how Gyeongnam will implement follow-up policy measures in the future.

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