Gwangju City Living Together with Citizens, Drawing Attention with Open Government Buildings and Shared Vehicle Rentals

Free Rental of 13 Public Vehicles on Weekends and Holidays... 662 Families Used in 15 Months

Open Government Building Rest Area Gains Reputation as a Sanctuary for Citizens... A Place for Study, Work, and Meetings

Gwangju Metropolitan City is gaining public approval by lending public vehicles free of charge on holidays when they are not in use and by offering the recently established ‘Open Government Building’ as a resting space for citizens.

In particular, the ‘Open Government Building,’ created with the philosophy of ‘citizen-centered city administration’ by Mayor Kang Ki-jung of Gwangju, is being reborn as a space for democratic discourse and cultural sharing where any Gwangju citizen can visit the government building to enjoy, rest, and voice their opinions.

According to Gwangju City on the 1st, following the recent plan for a ‘citizen-friendly open government building,’ remodeling of the interior and exterior of the city hall has been completed, and the space has been opened to citizens.

The interior of the government building, consisting of a honeycomb-themed space, a central multipurpose space, and a stepped resting area, has transformed from a space solely for administrative work into a citizen-friendly area for rest, community, and cultural activities.

Additionally, an eco-friendly unmanned caf? without paper cups, available 365 days a year, has been installed.

The interior of the government building, open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., has gained a reputation as a resting space, leading to an increase in citizens visiting the city hall during weekday evenings, weekends, and holidays.

In fact, the unmanned caf?’s capsule coffee sales average about 100 cups per day on weekends and holidays, showing continuous foot traffic from citizens.

Kim Da-kyung and Han Ga-eul, first-year high school students living in Chipyeong-dong, expressed satisfaction, saying, “We found the city hall’s unmanned caf? through Instagram. It’s clean and free, so it seems better than most study cafes. We hope it operates 24 hours.”

The exterior of the government building has also expanded openness and improved accessibility by removing 11 plant boxes, evolving into an open plaza that caters to citizens’ convenience, including those walking their pets and families enjoying bicycles.

Gwangju City’s public vehicle sharing project is also receiving steady support from citizens.

The vehicles available include 2 eleven-passenger Carnivals, 5 Soul electric cars, 4 Caspers, and 2 K7s, totaling 13 vehicles. They can be used up to twice a month on weekends and holidays (including substitute holidays), and if holidays are consecutive, usage can extend up to 5 days.

The sharing project, initiated in 2018 based on the observation that official vehicles are unused on weekends and holidays, was used by 1,103 families (4,708 people) until February 2020, when it was suspended due to COVID-19. After resuming in March last year, it has served 662 families (2,570 people) to date.

Eligible users include basic livelihood security recipients, low-income households, multicultural families, single-parent families, North Korean defectors’ families, and large families (three or more children under 18).

Many use the vehicles for travel, and it has been found that they also use the public vehicles to visit family and relatives in other regions.

A citizen who used the public vehicle expressed gratitude, saying it was very useful for moving their child’s belongings when the child entered university in Seoul.

Applications for vehicle use can be made on the Gwangju City website (Communication & Participation → Online Reservation Application → Public Vehicle Application), and after qualification verification and approval procedures, the vehicle can be used.

The application period is from midnight on the Wednesday two weeks before the desired weekend (10 days prior) until midnight on the Wednesday one week before (3 days prior). Applicants only need to pay actual expenses related to vehicle operation, such as fuel and toll fees, without any separate usage fee.

Drivers must be at least 26 years old, have no 12 major traffic violations in the past two years, and no drunk driving history within the last two years.

Jang Hyun-jung, head of the accounting department, said, “It is rewarding that the Gwangju City public vehicle sharing project has been a great help to citizens who need vehicle use. We will continue to make every effort to manage it so that citizens can use public vehicles conveniently and safely.”

Meanwhile, since 2011, the Gwangju Talent Education Center has also been offering a ‘small wedding hall’ to Gwangju citizens. The welfare center, usually used as a fitness room such as a table tennis hall, is shared as a wedding venue on weekends and other occasions.

Following three weddings held in May, reservations have been made for July as well, gradually becoming known to citizens who prefer small weddings. Any Gwangju citizen can apply, and the rental fee is 30,000 KRW. Multicultural families and low-income citizens can use it free of charge.