Changwon Mayoral Pre-Candidate Myungsang Kang: "Restarting Changwon's Heart as a K-Defense Industry Hub"

Myungsang Kang, a preliminary candidate for Changwon Special City Mayor in Gyeongnam representing the Reform New Party, declared his candidacy and presented his policy vision to transform Changwon into a K-Defense Industry Trade Hub.

On April 23, Kang held a press conference at the city hall press center, stating, "I will restart the stopped heart of Changwon by turning it into a K-Defense Industry Trade Hub."

He said, "Changwon, which was once the heart of South Korea’s industry, has now become a city where young people leave, the streets are deserted, and the unemployed sigh deeply. Confronted with this reality, I could no longer remain silent. I stand here with an earnest determination to make Changwon’s stopped heart beat again."

He went on to declare, "I am running as the Reform New Party candidate for Changwon mayor solely for the thoughts of citizens and the future of Changwon."

He also said, "I will step out from the shadow of major parties and venture into the wilderness. I will choose principled conviction over cowardly compromise, and heed the mandate of citizens rather than the gaze of vested interests. Under the banner of the Reform New Party, I will fulfill the citizens' call to eradicate old politics."

Myung-Sang Kang, a preliminary candidate for Changwon Special City Mayor in Gyeongnam from the Reform New Party, is announcing his candidacy along with his key pledges.
[Photo by Se-Ryung Lee]

On this day, Kang announced his first key pledge: to attract a dedicated defense export agency under the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), specifically a regional base center, to Changwon.

He explained, "Due to recent events like the Middle East war and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, global demand for defense products is skyrocketing, and South Korea is at the center of this trend. Yet, the Changwon economy and its citizens have not benefited, because production happens in Changwon, but contracts and distribution take place in Seoul."

He promised, "I will establish a KOTRA regional office specializing in defense in Changwon, the frontline of K-Defense exports. This will ensure that overseas buyer consultations, export contracts, and government-to-government transactions all happen in Changwon, so the economic ripple effects of exports directly benefit the local economy and the lives of Changwon citizens."

He added, "By building a Changwon-specific direct contract system for defense, linked with the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, I will enable local small and medium-sized enterprises to independently participate in exports."

As his second key pledge, Kang announced plans to attract the Defense Parts Research Institute to Changwon.

He pointed out, "Some of the key defense components used by the South Korean military are currently discontinued or have unstable supply. The lack of an institution dedicated to researching and producing these parts leaves a gap in national security."

He emphasized, "Changwon, home to world-class defense companies such as Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai Rotem, and Hanwha Aerospace, must fill this gap. Although the Defense Parts Research Institute was promoted in 2024 as a 440 billion won national project, its establishment was halted due to political turmoil. I will ensure its establishment in Changwon."

Kang stated, "Changwon now stands at a crossroads. Without change, there will be only decline, and if we do not act now, Changwon will not exist in ten years."

He further pledged, "I will put citizens, not vested interests, at the center and change the future of Changwon."

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