Democratic Party Gwangju Branch and Gwangju City Discuss 'Local Issues' Together

'Party-Government Budget Policy Council' at Gwangju City Hall on the 23rd
Discussion on key issues and cooperation measures for securing national funds
Park Chandae, Floor Leader, "Doing our best for Gwangju's industrial development"

The Gwangju City Party Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea and Gwangju City held a "Party-Government Budget Policy Council" on the afternoon of the 23rd in the conference room of Gwangju City Hall to discuss local issues together.
[Photo by the Gwangju City Party Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea]

The Democratic Party of Korea Gwangju Metropolitan City Party held the ‘Democratic Party of Korea-Gwangju Metropolitan City’ Party-Government Budget Policy Council on the afternoon of the 23rd at the Gwangju City Hall Medium Conference Room.

Attending the ‘Democratic Party of Korea-Gwangju Metropolitan City’ Party-Government Budget Policy Council were Floor Leader Park Chan-dae, Policy Committee Chair Jin Sung-jun, National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee Chair Park Jung, Chairman of the Good Local Government Committee Shin Jeong-hoon, Democratic Party Gwangju Metropolitan City Party Chair Yang Bu-nam, the chairs of eight regional committees in Gwangju (Jung Jin-wook, Ahn Do-geol, Jo In-cheol, Jung Jun-ho, Jeon Jin-sook, Park Gyun-taek, Min Hyung-bae), and Shin Su-jeong, Chair of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Council.

From Gwangju Metropolitan City, Mayor Kang Ki-jung, Deputy Mayor Ko Gwang-wan, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Economy Lee Sang-gap, and Director of the Opportunity Coordination Office Bae Il-kwon attended, along with key department heads.

This Party-Government Budget Policy Council was convened to review major issues in the Gwangju region and to discuss securing national budget funds for regional development and cooperation methods between the party and local government.

The seven major issues in the Gwangju region include ▲Promotion of relocation of the Gwangju civilian-military integrated airport ▲Inclusion of the May 18 Spirit in the preamble of the Constitution ▲Exemption from preliminary feasibility study and national budget support for the creation of the AX Demonstration Valley (AI Phase 2) ▲Realization of Gwangju as an Asian cultural hub city ▲Withdrawal of local government cost-sharing for national facilities (full national budget coverage) ▲Improvement of systems such as local allocation tax ▲Establishment of legal grounds for the operation of resident autonomy councils.

In addition, various opinions were exchanged on 11 national budget support projects proposed by Gwangju City and the three essential livelihood projects (local currency, youth support, social enterprises), and in-depth discussions were held on ways to secure related national budget funds.

Park Chan-dae, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, “Gwangju has always been a place that has empowered the nation in times of difficulty, and the Democratic Party of Korea pledges to repay this even more significantly,” adding, “The Democratic Party of Korea will actively discuss Gwangju’s policy issues and do its utmost to secure budgets so that Gwangju can lay the foundation for economic and industrial development.”

Kang Ki-jung, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, said, “We are preparing policies that take care of the daily lives of Gwangju citizens, but the budget outlook for Gwangju City is not bright, facing realistic difficulties,” and added, “I ask the Democratic Party of Korea to take the lead in securing budgets for the three essential livelihood projects and the projects proposed by Gwangju City.”

Yang Bu-nam, Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea Gwangju Metropolitan City Party (Seo-gu Eul), said, “Gwangju is a symbolic city of democracy, human rights, and peace, holding high value,” and requested, “Based on ideological values, I ask the Democratic Party central party to work hard so that Gwangju can become an economic city and the central city of the Republic of Korea.”

He continued, “I hope the central party will form a task force to resolve the biggest issue in Gwangju, the relocation of the Gwangju civilian-military integrated airport,” and stated, “Elected officials belonging to the Democratic Party of Korea will take the lead in resolving Gwangju regional issues and preparing policies for the lives of Gwangju citizens.”