“Gwangju Research Institute Is Not a Research Organization Supporting Mayor's Campaign Promises”

‘Beauty Industry’ Basic Plan Established Again This Year Following 2019
Seo Im-seok, Gwangju City Council Member, “Only Plans... When Will the Groundbreaking Happen?”

Seo Im-seok, Gwangju City Council member.

Seo Im-seok, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party, Nam-gu 1), criticized the Gwangju Institute during an administrative audit on the 12th, saying, "Does the Gwangju Institute change its overall business plan every year whenever the mayor changes?" and "The institute is not an organization that supports the mayor's campaign promises."

The Gwangju Institute announced a basic plan for the beauty industry (2024?2028) in September, spending about 50 million won. The plan aims to strategically develop the beauty industry by analyzing changes in domestic and international beauty industry conditions and understanding the current status of the Gwangju region.

However, before this year's "Gwangju Beauty Industry Basic Plan" was released, a "Mid- to Long-term Comprehensive (Basic) Plan for the Development of the Gwangju Beauty Industry" was already presented in May 2019 by Gwangju City and the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Nambu University, raising concerns that only basic plans are being made repeatedly.

Gwangju City has allocated about 400 to 600 million won annually for the beauty industry budget. Despite this budget allocation, the project has only reached the stage of establishing basic plans, both in 2019 and this year, without any actual groundwork.

Councilor Seo pointed out, "Busan maintains its focus and effectively promotes major city administration even when the mayor and government change," and added, "Shouldn't the president of the Gwangju Institute, who is a former senior researcher from Busan, make Gwangju the same way?"

In response, Choi Chi-guk, president of the Gwangju Institute, stated, "Any organization’s short- and long-term plans are inevitably somewhat influenced by political situations," but added, "However, we will ensure that Gwangju maintains its focus and progresses well."