Yoon Byung-tae, Mayor of Naju, "Era of 5 Million Tourists... Will Enhance Naju's Value"

Announcement of 'Top 10 Priority Projects and 7 Major Administrative Directions' for the New Year at Songshin Year Press Conference

Focus on Tourism, Agriculture, Energy Industry, Education, Welfare, and Residential Environment Improvement

Strengthening Communication Administration through Village Forums and Strategic Financial Management

Yoon Byung-tae, Mayor of Naju City, Jeollanam-do, stated, "I will not stop challenging to gain more opportunities for the happiness of 120,000 citizens and the development of Naju," adding, "We will move forward more confidently toward the era of 5 million tourists in Naju and becoming a global small but strong city with a population of 200,000."

At a year-end press conference held on the 28th, Mayor Yoon introduced the top 10 achievements of 2023, saying, "Since the launch of the 8th elected term, we have been vigorously moving toward a greater Naju through change and innovation, and we are meeting fruitful results one by one."

Yoon Byung-tae, Mayor of Naju City, holding a year-end press conference.

This year's top 10 achievements include the establishment and operation of the 'Integrated Odor Control Center,' the introduction of 'foreign seasonal workers,' the distribution of standing tables in senior centers and support for 50% of shingles vaccination costs, the creation of a childbirth and childcare-friendly environment such as operating a 365-day part-time childcare room, and the introduction and operation of the demand-responsive Naju Call Bus.

Also included are maintaining sound finances without additional local bond issuance, the first-ever year-round opening of the summit of Geumseongsan Mountain in 57 years, achieving 44.6 billion KRW in overseas exports of agricultural and specialty products, the first Jeollanam-do Naju Love Learning Voucher support, and the provision of free rental housing for employed youth.

Mayor Yoon then announced the top 10 priority projects for 2024 that will drive regional development, along with the city administration's directions in seven major areas including tourism, agriculture, energy industry, education, welfare, and improvement of residential conditions.

The top 10 priority projects consist of ▲ designation of an education development special zone ▲ creation of a year-round citizen resting space at Bitgaram Lake Park ▲ establishment of a southern region emergency medical system and the first foreign patient center in Jeollanam-do ▲ creation of a pet theme park ▲ successful hosting of the 2024 Naju Festival ▲ operation of a citizen direct consultation office and a streamlined civil complaint system ▲ establishment of a business-friendly city Naju ▲ construction of the National Energy Specialized Science Museum and hosting of the Energy Expo ▲ attraction of artificial sun research facilities ▲ and full-scale promotion of the second relocation of public institutions.

Mayor Yoon said the new year's administrative direction is to "prepare for the era of 5 million tourists so that both citizens and tourists can say that Naju has changed, thereby raising Naju's value."

Naju City plans to prepare a nationwide prestigious festival based on the experience of hosting an integrated festival and marathon for the first time this year. The city will promote Naju-style tourism policies that combine sightseeing, entertainment, food, and leisure, such as the year-round opening of the summit of Geumseongsan Mountain for the first time in 57 years, creation of a premium food street featuring Yeongsanpo fermented skate, and expansion of 100 designated Naju dining establishments.

Mayor Yoon emphasized the steady promotion of tourism attraction policies such as the premium national garden through the Yeongsangang Reservoir integrated river project, the 300-ri bicycle path, Jiseokcheon Riverside City Masil-gil, Usupje Ecological Park tourism resource development, and the pet theme park.

He also revealed plans to revitalize historical and cultural ecological tourism through the southern region wide-area tourism development project, a national agenda including the Donggang Neureoji panoramic tourist spot and Bitgaram Lake Park floating performance hall, and the establishment of the Namdo Righteous Army History Museum.

In the agricultural sector, the focus is on sustainable agriculture through strengthening agricultural competitiveness.

Mayor Yoon highlighted key agricultural policies such as carbon-neutral agricultural policy food upcycling, pioneering the smart farm industry, creation of leading villages for return-to-farm and return-to-village, rural spatial maintenance projects, establishment of a high-quality Naju pear production and distribution system, fostering and branding of regional agricultural specialty products, and preparation for the 2025 International Agricultural Expo.

He will also accelerate the realization of the vision of "an advanced scientific city based on the energy industry," which is Naju's future food source for the next 100 years.

The city plans to build a business-friendly environment through street naming, weekly events for companies and institutions, product promotion, and hosting the 2nd metropolitan area investment attraction roadshow, aiming to promote additional corporate investment and a virtuous cycle of stable settlement.

Efforts will be made to attract national large-scale research facilities such as artificial sun research facilities, expand agricultural and industrial complexes, expedite the energy national complex, create a next-generation high-efficiency semiconductor ecosystem and an industry-academia-research cluster linked with Korea Energy University, and designate global innovation special zones and opportunity development special zones for new energy industries.

Regarding improvement of urban residential conditions, Mayor Yoon expressed confidence that "the innovation city will be recognized as a city with the highest quality of life, better than Seoul, and will establish itself as a leading model for balanced regional development."

While accelerating the groundbreaking of the complex innovation center and the completion of the living SOC complex center, the city plans to create a four-season flower garden on Baemesan Mountain where Bitgaram Observatory is located, a health trail around the lake park, a performance hall, and a children's theme park, and to develop festival content themed on light by the end of the year.

He also presented plans for population inflow and revitalization of commercial areas through the establishment of an organic cooperative system with the Local Era Committee, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Jeollanam-do in preparation for the second relocation of public institutions, which is a barometer of innovation city activation, and the commencement of construction on unstarted joint housing sites.

Mayor Yoon announced future education innovation led by the region through operation of the Future Education Support Center, promotion of a school complex facility contest project to alleviate class overcrowding, and designation of an education development special zone to realize a prestigious education city.

He also carefully managed welfare policies closely related to citizens' daily lives. Mayor Yoon promised, "We will implement meticulous welfare policies so that happiness can be drawn in Naju," and "We will create a top welfare city where all generations are equally happy."

He proposed customized welfare policies for each class, including the construction of the Bandabi Gymnasium accessible to both disabled persons and citizens, the recently held groundbreaking ceremony for Jeollanam-do's first foreign patient center, reopening of a public-private cooperative general hospital, and expansion of 100 free rental houses for youth.

Regarding the city bus route reorganization, which was launched under the banner of a major transformation of public transportation, he explained, "We will establish Naju's own public transportation system with an optimal route plan that maximizes convenience and efficiency through an appropriate combination of trunk and village buses and taxis."

Mayor Yoon said, "Following the visiting village roundtable, we will strengthen communication administration by newly introducing a monthly citizen direct consultation office and the Baro Text Service (Ilsacheonri)."

He added, "Along with efforts to secure national and provincial funds to respond to tax revenue decline, we will focus on strategic financial management emphasizing budget prioritization based on project effectiveness to stabilize the lives of ordinary people, improve welfare, and invest in the future."

Mayor Yoon conveyed his New Year's resolution, saying, "The great spirit of Naju has turned crises into opportunities, evolving and developing," and "I will devote all my efforts so that future generations can live in Naju with hope."

Naju = Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong yjm3070@asiae.co.kr