Park Byung-kyu "Realizing Sustainable Jobs through Citizen-Centered Social Dialogue"

2nd Anniversary Press Conference at Gwangsan District Office, Gwangju

Park Byung-gyu, Mayor of Gwangsan District, Gwangju Metropolitan City, on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the 8th local government administration, stated, “We will serve citizens as the owners, create a new Gwangsan to innovate South Korea, and realize the greatest opportunity in history as a benefit for all citizens.” He emphasized that various changes in the way of working over the past two years have led to South Korea’s first and best achievements, and presented citizen-centered social dialogue toward a sustainable job special zone as the core goal of future district administration.

On the morning of the 1st, Mayor Park held a press conference in the situation room on the 2nd floor of the district office to announce the achievements of the first half of the 8th local government administration and the future direction and vision of the district administration.

Regarding the two years of the 8th local government administration in Gwangsan District, which set the goal of “Renewing Gwangsan through coexistence and innovation to benefit citizens,” Mayor Park said, “It was a time to correct what was wrong, improve what was lacking, and at the same time pioneer new paths,” adding, “South Korea’s first innovative policies leading our society to sustainable development are also progressing smoothly.”

Mayor Park stated, “By implementing the Dong Future Development Plan and converting 21 Dong residents’ autonomy committees, we expanded local autonomy from the district level to the village level, minimized congratulatory speeches and protocol at important events such as Gwangsan Citizens’ Day to align with citizens, thereby establishing citizens as the owners of the district administration.” He also noted, “Citizen participation in district administration has become active, with citizen policy proposals in 2023 increasing by 143% compared to the previous year.”

He proudly said, “We changed the way of working from the perspective of sovereign citizens, focusing on the needs and demands on the ground, setting the policy standard for South Korea.” Representative policies first implemented in South Korea by Gwangsan District include the real-time disclosure of all 123 committee meetings, the ‘Carrot Gwangsan Project’ which collaborates with online platforms to allow any citizen to enjoy jobs and shared spaces, ‘1313 Neighbor Care,’ and the ‘Mobile Worker Dalgona Shelter.’

He cited meaningful achievements in “moving administration” that responded to citizen demands, such as eradicating illegal banners with a zero-tolerance principle, establishing daily collection of household waste, smoothly promoting the creation of the ‘Barefoot Path in Front of My House,’ and the ‘Hwangryonggang Ecological Trail 30,’ a representative premium trail of Gwangju. He also presented the fruits of listening and communication administration, reflecting 4,673 citizen voices (as of May 31) into policies through various channels such as the visiting listening mayor’s office and direct text messages to the mayor.

The development project of Eodeungsan Tourist Complex, which has been fully underway for the first time in 18 years, the promotion of the future car national industrial complex and the materials, parts, and equipment specialized complex, and the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport secured new driving forces for future development. The long-cherished wishes for Gwangsan education were also fulfilled with the establishment of the tentative ‘Gwangsan High School’ and the Gwangsan Education Support Center. The Gwangsan Music ON Festival, which received great public response and achieved great success for two consecutive years, has grown into a representative festival of Gwangju while helping the local economy.

Regarding the direction of district administration for the next two years, he emphasized, “We will further enhance the physical and social growth of Gwangsan that we have built so far and solve pressing issues,” adding, “Above all, we will actively promote citizen-centered social dialogue toward a sustainable job special zone.”

Mayor Park said, “We will expand democracy, which has remained in politics, into the economy by asking citizens’ opinions and discovering and realizing good jobs that citizens want and need,” and “We will overcome polarization, inequality, population extinction, and the climate crisis to secure the driving force for sustainable development.”

He also promised, “We will increase the sense of recovery in people’s livelihoods and build a more dense and solid social welfare network.” He mentioned plans to open additional ‘One Thousand Won Meal Restaurants’ that provide jobs for seniors and affordable quality meals for vulnerable neighbors, expand the ‘1313 Neighbor Care’ to 21 Dong, and increase the number of health care centers linked to social prescriptions to three, saying, “We will support a 100-year era where people are neither sick nor lonely.”

Mayor Park stated, “We will create a new Gwangsan from the greatest opportunity in history that has come to Gwangsan, innovate South Korea, and realize this opportunity as one where all citizens equally enjoy benefits,” and added, “We will clearly set the direction of the path ahead, serve the sovereign citizens, and steadily move forward.”

Meanwhile, starting from this day and for two days, Mayor Park will visit major policy and livelihood sites to look back on the path Gwangsan District has taken during the 8th local government administration’s two years, share visions and future prospects, and communicate in the ‘Walking Together Connecting Citizens and Values (Together Being)’ event.