Changwon Mayoral Candidate MyungSang Kang Vows Bold Support to Keep Young People from Leaving

MyungSang Kang, the Reform New Party candidate for Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, has proposed comprehensive policies to address the outflow of young people, focusing on employment, housing, future industries, marriage, and childbirth support.

On May 12, Kang held a press conference at City Hall’s press center, stating, “I am announcing bold youth policies to create a foundation where young people in Changwon can find jobs, build families, have children, and live happily in our city.”

He said, “The collapse of Changwon’s population above the 1 million mark has begun, and the outflow of young people is the most critical issue,” adding, “I will provide a definite future for the youth.”

Myung-Sang Kang, candidate for the Changwon Special City Mayor of the Reform New Party in Gyeongnam, is announcing his policy pledge.
[Photo by Se-ryung Lee]

Kang’s first pledge is to expand the age definition of youth to 45 years old.

Accordingly, he plans to broaden the scope of youth policies, including support for marriage, childcare, and housing, and to provide practical benefits tailored to each stage of life.

He also announced that local graduates who are hired as full-time employees by partner companies in the defense, nuclear power, and advanced manufacturing sectors will receive benefits such as tax reductions, industrial complex rent support, and priority in public business participation.

In particular, companies that hire young employees with an annual salary of 40 million won or more will receive substantial support, and those that encourage employees to stay for more than three years will receive additional benefits.

For young people who reside and are employed or start a business in Changwon, a “Youth Settlement Leap Fund” will be established, providing up to 3 million won per year, totaling 15 million won over five years.

In addition, a “Defense & Robotics Startup Special Zone” linked to the Changwon National Industrial Complex will encourage technology startups in unmanned systems and smart factory sectors.

In the areas of Masan Marine New City and the former Lotte Department Store Masan branch, a “Game & Digital Content Special Zone” will be created to establish high value-added industry hubs in fields favored by young people, such as e-sports, webtoons, and artificial intelligence.

Furthermore, newlyweds will be given priority access to public rental and for-sale housing, reduced mortgage loan interest rates upon marriage, and lower rent and maintenance fees upon childbirth, with the burden of housing costs decreasing in proportion to the number of children.

Families with two or more children will be guaranteed priority placement in public childcare centers and benefit from the expansion of family-friendly public facilities.

Kang emphasized, “There is no future for a city that young people leave,” and pledged, “I will faithfully implement the announced policies to make Changwon a city where young people can dream and build families, and where children’s laughter never ceases.”

Regarding the proposal from the People Power Party’s Gyeongnam governor and Changwon mayoral candidates to introduce directly elected district offices and mayors in Changwon, he said, “I oppose this plan because it could foster new divisions in a unified Changwon and would result in double administrative costs and a waste of taxpayers’ money when creating new district offices.”

However, he added, “There is a need to reassign administrative work because there is significant overlap between the administrative work of Changwon City and its districts,” and stated, “The issue of district offices should be openly discussed to gather citizen opinion.”

As for the possibility of unifying candidacies with Kang Ki-yoon, the People Power Party candidate, as a conservative candidate, he said, “I am running without compromising with power, without relying on vested interests, and solely for the citizens,” adding, “I will see this race through honorably to the end without unification.”

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