Wando-gun Social Community Support Center Plays Key Role as Bridge Between Residents and Administration

2nd Anniversary of Establishment... Solidifying Image as a Field-Oriented Institution
Center Director Shin Young-gyun, "Leading Efforts to Solve Community Issues"

Shin Young-gyun, Director of Wando-gun Social Community Support Center. [Photo by Wando-gun Social Community Support Center]

The Wando-gun Social Community Support Center (Director Shin Young-gyun·photo) celebrated its 2nd anniversary since its establishment in September 2022. So far, the Wando-gun Social Community Support Center has been recognized for successfully serving as a bridge connecting residents and administration.

Established under the "Ordinance on the Promotion and Support of Social Economy in Wando-gun," the center supports village communities and social economy enterprises such as ▲social enterprises ▲preliminary social enterprises ▲village enterprises ▲cooperatives ▲self-support enterprises, which create social value based on cooperation and mutual aid among members.

Director Shin Young-gyun said, “Thanks to the active participation of over 500 village activists, our center has taken the lead in creating village communities that pursue a happy life for members and a sustainable social economy ecosystem. Additionally, through various outreach programs, we have earned a reputation as a ‘field-centered institution’ that has taken the lead in solving local community issues with village activists and residents.”

As a result, “Following last year’s support for 22 sites, this year’s activities are being carried out at 19 sites, implementing a practical governance model that combines administration, our center, happiness designers, and villages. This system uses local government subsidies as seed money and achieves results through the actions of village activists,” he explained.

In fact, Sogayong-ri in Wando has designated a weekly ‘Village Exercise Day’ to regain leisure and is growing into a village that dreams of generating income and creating jobs by processing fresh anchovies. In Nohwado village, a major abalone production area, they are also working on producing abalone soy sauce with the goal of establishing a village enterprise.

Director Shin emphasized, “Recently, the government has been moving away from direct support for social enterprises and shifting policies toward linking social value evaluation with support, which is concerning. Such changes could potentially undermine even the minimum survival foundation of social enterprises. For local governments facing the risk of extinction, it is important to exceptionally maintain existing policies.”

He added, “Going forward, our center will continue field-centered activities to create a ‘warm community where hearts are shared, happiness is shared, and the spirit of community lives on.’ Furthermore, we will faithfully perform our original role as an intermediary support organization between the public and administration, not just as an administrative auxiliary, contributing to the development of Wando.”

Meanwhile, Director Shin Young-gyun began his public service career in December 1986 as a Grade 9 administrative officer at Sinji-myeon Office and retired honorably in December 2021 as Director of the Economic and Industrial Bureau of Wando-gun after 35 years of service. Throughout his career, he worked at the Prime Minister’s Office, Jeollanam-do Provincial Government, and Wando-gun, gaining extensive experience across central and local government, earning a reputation as a master of administration.