Yun Byeong-tae, Mayor of Naju, Holds 9th Village Forum at Bonghwang Seondong Village

Yoon Byung-tae, Mayor of Naju City, Jeollanam-do, visited Seondong Village in Bonghwang-myeon to listen attentively to the vivid voices of the residents on site.

Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 28th that it held the 9th visiting village forum at the Seondong Village Hall in Cheolcheon-ri, Bonghwang-myeon on the 25th.

The village forum is a promise made during the 8th term of the civilian government to meet with residents who have long-standing village issues and daily life difficulties but have endured inconveniences without speaking up, to listen to their suggestions and village wishes, and to resolve them.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae of Naju held the 9th residents' discussion meeting in Bonghwang Seondong Village.
[Photo by Naju City]

The forum is usually held around 7 p.m. after the residents’ workday, but on this day, it was held at 3 p.m. at the request of the village residents’ schedule.

Seondong Village, located 2 km southwest from the Bonghwang-myeon town center on the foothills of Deokryongsan Mountain, currently has about 50 households with around 90 residents, cultivating various specialty products such as pears, persimmons, pumpkin, Hallabong oranges, and soybeans.

The village is known for its serene beauty, including a 500-year-old Dangsan tree (sacred tree) and beautiful stone walls.

About 30 residents attended the forum, including Yang Dae-won, the village chief, Jeong Chan-soon, the head of the senior citizens’ association, and Yang Soon-ja, the head of the women’s association, engaging in warm and friendly conversations.

At the meeting, residents suggested “repairing the village hall facilities” and “repaving the village access road.”

Mayor Yoon said, “I have visited many villages, but Seondong Village seems very clean and well managed,” and added, “We will immediately repair the village hall, which serves as a community room and resting place for residents, so that it can fully function.”

He also promised support for repaving the concrete access road after appropriate standards and review.

Mayor Yoon added, “I deeply appreciate the warm hospitality and candid remarks of the residents,” and said, “We will continue to monitor any issues that were not raised today through the community leader and village chiefs to minimize inconveniences.”

Naju = Kim Yuk-bong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr