Where Did Governor Kim Dong-yeon Visit for His First 'Minsheng Talk On-site'?… Anyang with an 87% Urban Decline Rate

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, announced that he will pursue improvement measures for the aging of 'original downtown' and '1st generation new towns' in the province with sincerity and strong determination.

Governor Kim attended the first 'Minsheng Field Handshake Talk' held at Bamdongsan Park in Anyang 4-dong, Manan-gu, Anyang City on the 27th, saying, "Anyang City, which used to always develop, has now become a representative declining area. I visited Anyang first with the thought of revitalizing and developing the city," adding, "Not only the 1st generation new towns but also the aging of the original downtown is very serious. I will pay attention with sincerity and policy will."

The Anyang 4-dong Minsheng Field Handshake Talk is the first since Governor Kim agreed on July 26 during the '8th Term Elected Governor-Mayor and County Governor Meeting' to hold monthly 'Town Hall Meetings' (resident meetings). Town Hall Meetings are events where the province and city/county visit local community residents' sites and freely discuss local issues without a separate script or formality.

Among the 31 neighborhoods in Anyang City, 27 are declining areas, making it the region with the third highest number of declining areas after Seongnam and Suwon. As of 2020, the urban decline rate in Anyang City was 87%, the highest among urban areas in Gyeonggi Province.

The current Urban Regeneration Act defines declining areas as places that meet two or more of the following three conditions for more than three consecutive years within the last five years: ▲population decline ▲decrease in the number of businesses ▲more than 50% of buildings over 20 years old.

In particular, Anyang 4-dong rapidly declined due to the development of the nearby Pyeongchon New Town in the 1990s and is an area with great interest in old downtown redevelopment. Accordingly, Governor Kim expressed his determination to find improvement plans for residents of aging residential areas during his site visit to Anyang 4-dong on the 8th.

On that day, residents raised local issues to Governor Kim, including the creation of a multipurpose indoor gymnasium, recovery of Manan-gu commercial district, securing safe passage for children, solving parking difficulties, improving aging public daycare facilities, expanding senior job opportunities, and constructing new roads to alleviate traffic congestion.

Governor Kim said, "I was able to meet many residents and hear stories closely related to their lives. Issues that Gyeonggi Province can solve will be actively reviewed, and for matters to be discussed with Anyang City, we will work together to find solutions," answering one by one the questions raised by about 20 citizens.

Governor Kim will conduct 'Minsheng Field Handshake Talks' by selecting one city or county each month.