Chuncheon City Announces 'THE Healthy Chuncheon 2030'... Creating a City Where Everyday Life Means Health

Chuncheon City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Yuk Donghan) has announced the launch of the "THE Healthy Chuncheon" initiative, aiming to make citizens' health the city’s top priority by 2030 and to create a citizen-led healthy community.

Yook Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon, is holding a briefing at the city hall briefing room on the 5th. Provided by Chuncheon City

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On the 5th, Yuk Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon, held a briefing at the city hall briefing room and announced the basic plan for "THE Healthy Chuncheon," which was presented at the "THE Healthy Chuncheon 2030 Vision Sharing Meeting" held on the 4th. This plan was established in response to changes in the population structure, such as the growing elderly population and the increasing number of single-person households, as well as stagnation in key health indicators. The core of the plan is a complete overhaul of existing programs, focusing on establishing a "public-private-academic collaborative governance system" and expanding practices based on citizen participation.

With "THE Healthy Chuncheon" as its vision, Chuncheon City will pursue 4 strategies and 12 key initiatives. The city will focus on policies to create: a city where everyday life equates to health; a city that cares for the mind and protects life; a city where no one is alone, and everyone is together; and a city where every space people stay in becomes healthier.

First, to create a city where everyday life equates to health, the city will promote walking practices utilizing Chuncheon's natural environment and strengthen digital health management and prevention-focused services.

To build a city that cares for the mind and protects life, the city will promote a culture of respect for life, strengthen mental health safety nets by enabling early detection of depression and isolation, and work on preventing addiction among youth.

For a city where no one is alone and everyone is together, the city will establish a foundation that links healthcare and care services through home-based medical care and smart care systems.

To ensure every space people stay in becomes healthier, the city will develop urban spaces to be health-friendly and utilize public facilities as spaces for healing and recovery.

To improve the effectiveness of its healthy city policies, Chuncheon City will establish a "Chuncheon Healthy City Committee" and a "Chuncheon Healthy Lifestyle Practice Council," and newly organize the "THE Healthy Citizen Practice Group" for direct citizen participation, thereby building a public-private-academic governance system.

The Healthy City Committee and the Healthy Lifestyle Practice Council will include experts in healthcare, sports, education, and welfare, as well as city council members and department heads, to provide guidance on policy direction. The Citizen Practice Group will be composed of walking leaders, student supporters, and life guardians as citizen participants, playing a role in spreading a culture of health in daily life. The city has designated 2026 as a year for building governance and sharing its vision and plans to expand the healthy city movement through walking events and citizen campaigns.

Yook Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon, is holding a briefing at the city hall briefing room on the 5th. Provided by Chuncheon City

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In particular, the city has established a phased, citywide roadmap through 2030. Starting with governance building this year, the strategy is to promote everyday practices (such as walking for 10 minutes on the way to work) in 2027, community practices (checking in on neighbors) in 2028, and the establishment of a health culture in 2029, with the goal of achieving a healthy city enjoyed by all citizens by 2030.

Additionally, Chuncheon City will implement policies to improve citizens' lifestyles based on health statistics analysis and operate practical programs and citywide health campaigns targeting major health issues such as high-risk drinking and lack of physical activity, focusing on high-risk groups for unhealthy behaviors.

Mayor Yuk Donghan stated, "Health is not a special policy; it has the greatest impact when practiced in the daily lives of citizens," and added, "We will work together with citizens to create 'THE Healthy Chuncheon,' so that small daily efforts can lead to a healthier transformation for the city."

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