[2025 Local Government Heads New Year's Address] Baek Young-hyun, Mayor of Pocheon, Gyeonggi
"Promise to Make Pocheon a Better and More Desirable Place to Live"
Full Effort to Awaken Pocheon's Infinite Potential
Support Stable and Sustainable Growth of Businesses and Agriculture/Livestock
Steady Implementation of Various Policies Including Issuance of Pocheon Love Gift Certificates
"In the new year of 2025, we will do our utmost to develop into a progressive central city of northern Gyeonggi Province."
On the 28th, ahead of the new year, Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun said in his New Year's address, "As this is a critical time where crisis and opportunity coexist, I ask all citizens and public officials to come together with communication and trust to gather greater strength."
On the 28th, Baek Young-hyun, Mayor of Pocheon City, stated in his New Year's address, "In the new year, we will do our best to develop as a central city in northern Gyeonggi with a more progressive attitude." Provided by Pocheon City
Mayor Baek said, "Last year, all of our city officials, including myself, ran tirelessly with a practical and diligent attitude, focusing solely on the citizens. As a result, balanced achievements began to appear across all areas of city administration, and it was a year in which we gained not only concrete results but also the important belief that 'it can be done' and the confidence that 'if we act and practice, we can achieve it.'"
He continued, "Although the recent worsening of domestic and international economic conditions and the decrease in national tax revenue have made the financial situation of the government and local governments very difficult, our city plans to continue focused support and investment in projects for revitalizing the local economy, improving citizen convenience, and population growth policies," emphasizing, "Through this financial policy, we will stabilize people's livelihoods and awaken the infinite potential of Pocheon."
Mayor Baek first stated, "We will support the stable and sustainable growth of the two major pillars leading Pocheon's local economy: enterprises and agriculture and livestock industries."
He promised, "We will expand the budget for the 'Enterprise Environment Improvement Project' more than fourfold compared to last year and encourage long-term employment of workers through support for rental costs of dormitories for small and medium-sized enterprise workers. In addition to 'KOTRA Dexter,' which opened at the end of last year to strengthen the function of the Pocheon Business Center as a corporate support hub, we will do our best to attract more diverse institutions."
He added, "The former 6th Army Corps site, which will be the cornerstone for Pocheon's next 100 years, will be developed into a complex district where advanced industries and residential facilities coexist, linked with the surrounding area. We will carefully listen to the opinions of citizens and the city council to complete a more concrete blueprint."
He also said that various policies such as youth employment and start-up support, issuance of Pocheon Love Gift Certificates, special guarantees and interest support for small business owners will be carried out without delay.
Mayor Baek stated, "Furthermore, we will continue focused support to strengthen the competitiveness of Pocheon agriculture, another pillar of the local economy," and revealed, "Through effective marketing using the integrated brand for Pocheon agricultural and specialty products, 'Pocheon Gadeuk,' we will enhance the external competitiveness of our local agricultural products."
He also asserted that by expanding the foreign seasonal worker program and building public accommodations for foreign workers, rural labor shortages will be resolved, and through discovering regionally adapted varieties in response to climate change and spreading new technologies such as smart farms, we will contribute to increasing farmers' incomes.
Mayor Baek said, "We will make Pocheon a livable city where anyone wants to live."
He added, "Building on the momentum of being selected as a pilot area for educational development special zones last year, we will implement the nation's highest level of education and care services. We will expand and operate hub-type care centers like 'Pocheon Ae(Bom) 365,' which cares for children 24/7, by region, and promote various programs to reduce the childcare burden for dual-income and multicultural families while providing high-quality care environments for children."
He pledged to devote full efforts to improving elementary, middle, and high school educational infrastructure and strengthening students' learning capabilities, as well as to steadily implement senior citizen-tailored policies in the aging era.
In particular, to help seniors live more vibrant and healthy lives, he announced plans to expand various sports facilities including the 'Senior National Sports Center' and to establish the 'Senior Club,' a dedicated institution for senior jobs.
Mayor Baek said, "Along with this, Pocheon will actively support the health and happiness of both disabled and non-disabled citizens," adding, "We plan to open the 'Bandabi Sports Center' to support the independence and social activities of people with disabilities, and to build a 'regional medical network' involving responsible medical institutions and private medical institutions in the area to strengthen community health care and welfare services."
Mayor Baek also emphasized, "We will contribute to improving citizens' quality of life through the expansion of urban infrastructure."
He said, "The Okjeong-Pocheon metropolitan railroad extension project is progressing smoothly with the goal of starting construction on the entire section early this year, and we will also make every effort to attract the GTX, a long-cherished wish of Pocheon citizens. I earnestly ask citizens to join forces so that the GTX-G line can be included in the government's '5th National Railroad Network Plan' in June this year."
Mayor Baek added, "We will actively consult with related agencies to ensure the full opening of the 'Sejong-Pocheon Expressway' and the 'Second Capital Area Circular Expressway' without delay, and focus on expanding the road network and living infrastructure within the city. We will promptly promote major road network and urban planning road expansion projects such as the Gomo IC-Songwoo road and Gomo-Mubong road to alleviate traffic congestion, and establish a new metropolitan bus route between Pocheon and Seoul Station to expand citizens' mobility rights and shorten travel time to the metropolitan area."
He also said that public parking lots will be expanded, and infrastructure for water supply and sewage, as well as city gas distribution, will be enhanced.
Mayor Baek declared, "We will develop Pocheon into a distinctive themed tourism city."
He said, "We will expand the Hantangang River area into an ecological tourism complex with themes such as the World Peace Garden, performance and camping cultural leisure complexes, and waterfront parks, and open a new era of Pocheon Hantangang tourism that attracts global attention by hosting the '2nd Hantangang Garden Festa' and the 'Pocheon Hantangang World Drone Festival.'"
He emphasized, "In particular, we will expand and operate integrated festivals linked with Hantangang, including Pocheon's representative festivals such as the 'Pocheon Agricultural and Livestock Products Festival,' and strive to attract more tourists by expanding nighttime stay-type tourism content and tourist convenience facilities. The '28th Sanjeong Lake Silver Grass Festival,' commemorating the 100th anniversary of the construction of Sanjeong Lake this year, will be prepared with even more special events and attractions."
He also revealed that following last year's selection as a 'Pet-Friendly Tourism City,' a 'Pet Tourism Festival' will be held to transform Pocheon into the nation's top themed tourism city.
Finally, Mayor Baek pledged, "We will actively respond to the population decline issue by implementing effective population growth policies. We plan to supply a total of 23,360 households in 21 apartment complexes annually to create a pleasant residential environment, and accelerate urban regeneration projects by region such as Yeongjung, Yeongbuk, Gwanin, and Sineup, as well as projects to improve residential environments like the Pocheoncheon Blueway and Cheongseongsan comprehensive development project."
He promised to meticulously implement customized population growth policies including expanding support for multi-child families, supporting housing welfare services for vulnerable groups, reducing fees for public postpartum care centers, and providing postpartum care cost support.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
