Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju: Closer to Citizens through Communication and Empathy

Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, is promoting the ‘Dialogue with Dong Residents’ to share the core policies and business directions of the district administration for the new year and to listen to citizens’ proposals and opinions.

Park Byung-gyu, Mayor of Gwangsan-gu, along with heads of departments and offices, will start on the 16th in Eoryong-dong and tour 21 dongs, holding free communication sessions with residents from all walks of life, as well as heads of institutions and social organizations.

During the dialogue with dong residents, Mayor Park will announce the overall direction of district administration for this year, and the heads of departments and offices will share specific core policies.

In addition, to enhance citizens’ perception and satisfaction with attentive and communicative administration, the results of handling proposals raised during last year’s dialogue with residents will be reported to the residents.

Last year, a total of 403 proposals and suggestions were received during the dialogue with dong residents, of which 261 cases (64.8%) have been completed.

Following this, Mayor Park, heads of departments and offices, dong chiefs, and residents will engage in candid dialogue and communication regarding the overall district administration.

In particular, Mayor Park will explain the purpose and necessity of the ‘Dong Future Development Plan,’ which is the first approval of the new year, and work to build consensus on Gwangsan-type autonomous decentralization.

In this regard, the ‘Dong Future Development Plan’ is a community-based village plan that presents the future vision and mid- to long-term development directions of the village based on public-private cooperation involving the local community, residents, and administration.

It is the ‘first button’ for realizing Gwangsan-type autonomous decentralization from the bottom up, by elevating the dong, which has been perceived as the ‘frontline lower administrative unit,’ to the closest ‘village government’ to residents, so that changes starting from residents and villages become district policies.

The district plans to actively reflect various resident proposals and opinions collected through the dialogue with dong residents in the future establishment and promotion of the ‘Dong Future Development Plan.’

Mayor Park said, “This year’s dialogue with dong residents will be an occasion to announce the beginning of a district administration where citizens are the owners, and Gwangsan-type autonomous decentralization led by the dong and village closest to the citizens.” He added, “We will listen carefully to the voices from the field of life and daily life and move forward together with citizens toward realizing a sustainable Gwangsan.”