High Interest in New Industry Achievements and Daewang Whale Project
Mayor Lee: "Will Carry Out Dynamic City Administration Together with Citizens"
Pohang City announced the "Top 10 Pohang City Administration News Items that Received the Greatest Interest from Citizens in 2024" on the 26th.
Among the news that garnered high interest were achievements related to fostering new industries, such as the city becoming the first basic local government to dominate the three specialized complexes for secondary batteries, bio, and hydrogen, and the groundbreaking of POEX, which will become a hub for the MICE industry. Additionally, various accomplishments closely related to citizens' daily lives in fields such as economy, transportation, welfare, and education over the past year were selected as the top 10 news items.
The city conducted a survey via SNS and other platforms for five days from the 9th to the 13th, with over 2,500 citizens participating in the survey.
In particular, the high interest in achievements related to new industries such as secondary batteries, bio, hydrogen, and the MICE industry?recognized as future growth engines for Pohang?reflects citizens’ hopes for revitalizing the local economy amid increasingly difficult economic conditions caused by the diversification of the steel-centered industrial structure and the impeachment political situation.
Furthermore, news that also attracted significant citizen interest included the so-called "Great Whale Project," a deep-sea gas field development project in Pohang Yeongilman, which raises expectations of realizing the dream of becoming an oil-producing region, and the final selection of Guryongpo Nultaeri as the site for a memorial park to be developed as a premium healing space where art and culture coexist.
Alongside these, the cumulative issuance of Pohang Love Gift Certificates surpassing 2 trillion won, which served as a much-needed relief for struggling small businesses and alleyway markets, and the establishment of a special guarantee fund of 111.4 billion won received strong positive responses.
Moreover, efforts and achievements by Pohang City to overcome the crisis of local extinction and lead balanced regional development were spotlighted, including the enactment of an ordinance supporting the establishment of POSTECH Medical School, the imminent opening of the Donghae Line railway between Pohang and Samcheok, and Handong University’s selection as a glocal university following POSTECH last year.
Other news that drew considerable citizen interest included the launch of the Pohang-style taxi call service "Taboso Taxi" and the earthquake damage compensation lawsuit, which involved participation from over 90% of citizens.
Mayor Lee Kang-deok stated, “Despite the difficult internal and external conditions this year, we have achieved many accomplishments that prove Pohang’s capabilities and potential.” He added, “In 2025, we will continue to prioritize citizens’ better lives as the foremost value of city administration and carry out dynamic governance. Given the current political turmoil, we are focusing administrative efforts on stabilizing people’s livelihoods to ensure no inconvenience to citizens. We also urge citizens to actively participate in sound consumption activities, such as year-end gatherings, to prevent the local economy from shrinking during the year-end and New Year period.”
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