Changwon Special Mayor Hong Nampyo, "Making 2025 the Year of Leap and Soaring as the Northeast Asia Hub"

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, stated, "We will make 2025 a year to leap forward and soar as the center of Northeast Asia," adding, "Based on the solid administrative foundation we have built so far, we will actively produce tangible results that citizens can feel." Above all, he emphasized 'livelihood administration.'

To prove this, Mayor Hong began his first external activity of the new year by visiting a site of a community-based project. We met him to hear about the direction of city administration this year.

Hong Nampyo, Changwon Special City Mayor.

Q1. What were last year's achievements?

What I consider most important is the issue of livelihood, ensuring that Changwon can live without worries for the next 50 years. Therefore, we provided substantial support for corporate activities. As a result, last year, Changwon ranked 5th among cities with the highest trade surplus. Also, the Changwon National Industrial Complex achieved a production value of 60 trillion won in a single year.

We also prepared for the future. First, the Changwon National Industrial Complex began a major transformation into an Industrial Innovation Park with a vision for the next 50 years. The Masan Free Trade Zone created a new turning point by being upgraded to a national industrial complex, and the Marine New City led the nation by becoming the first designated Digital Free Trade Zone. At the Jinhae Advanced Industrial Research Complex, infrastructure for securing new materials and strategic technologies is being established one after another. The development of port hinterland complexes and logistics hubs to maximize the ripple effects of Jinhae New Port and Gadeokdo New Airport is progressing smoothly. Furthermore, with the stable settlement of the Wonidaero S-BRT, we began transitioning to a public transportation-centered traffic system. We also undertook a major overhaul of the district unit plans for detached housing areas in Uichang-gu and Seongsan-gu and semi-industrial areas along Changwon-daero for the first time in 50 years to actively respond to future spatial demands.

Additionally, since last year, Changwon has been feeling the climate crisis firsthand. We achieved results by proactively responding to various natural disasters, preventing casualties despite extreme heavy rains.

Q2. What were the regrets?

It is regrettable that despite 740,000 citizens signing petitions to support the establishment of Changwon Medical School, it was not confirmed. Changwon is the only metropolitan city with a population of one million outside the capital area without a medical school. The establishment of Changwon Medical School is essential to resolve regional medical imbalances, attract excellent talent, and foster the medical and bio industries. We will continue to make our best efforts with related institutions, including local universities.

Also, since the end of last year, various political environments surrounding Changwon have changed, and their effects are directly impacting us. In particular, there were many discussions about the Second National Industrial Complex, for which our city was selected as a candidate site, which is unfortunate. However, I believe the selection process was conducted very fairly by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It seems that some information was misused during exchanges with local lawmakers, but such matters should be clarified through the prosecution's investigation results.

Q3. What are the administrative goals for 2025?

Amid various domestic and international difficulties, national turmoil has increased, and uncertainty has grown due to changes in international order brought by the shift in U.S. leadership. Crisis management is more important than ever, so we will strengthen monitoring by sector and prepare core project response strategies.

Above all, historical turning points are moments of opportunity for those who are prepared. Our city will relentlessly race toward the next 50 years based on the solid administrative foundation we have built. With strong will alongside citizens, we will make 2025 "a year to leap forward and soar as the center of Northeast Asia." To open the future, we will accelerate all broadly planned projects to bring them closer to reality and focus on livelihood administration directly connected to citizens' lives to provide a tangible administration. We will concentrate more on our fundamental duty to protect citizens from all threats and accumulate small but certain changes to achieve a great leap in daily life.

Q4. Could you specify the projects you will focus on?

First, we plan to devote all efforts to the rapid government preliminary feasibility study approval for key large-scale projects that will lead Changwon's future: the new Changwon National Industrial Complex, the neutron complex beam irradiation facility, and the digital Masan Free Trade Zone. We are currently establishing detailed plans for each stage and closely consulting with relevant ministries. Ultimately, everything is a race against time. To inject new vitality into Changwon, we will concentrate all administrative capabilities on these projects.

Additionally, having reorganized the district unit plans for detached housing and semi-industrial areas, we will next promote the reorganization of the office district's spatial structure. The distance from Gyeongnam Provincial Government Building to the Industrial Complex Corporation can be called a representative central road of Changwon, but this area has long been restricted, revealing complex problems such as urban hollowing. To prepare for Changwon's next 50 years, we will create an organically connected urban space.

Q5. Population issues must also be a major concern?

Population, cities, and economies worldwide are all shrinking. Population decline is not a failure but a problem to be managed. However, if a region cannot independently create and lead change, it will inevitably depend on the capital area for everything. Changwon faces serious outflow of young talent, and ultimately, the essence is to create good living conditions such as quality jobs and cultural infrastructure.

First, we will provide sustainable jobs by linking universities and companies in specialized industries where Changwon excels, such as defense, nuclear power, shipbuilding, and hydrogen. We also plan to expand departments preferred by talents through collaboration with local universities. Furthermore, we will implement the 'Changwon-type Youth Housing Supply' policy, providing 2,000 youth housing units over the next five years, and enhance young people's quality of life through expanded support for sports passes for youth employed in small and medium enterprises and expansion of cultural and artistic complex spaces. Moreover, we will strengthen connectivity with the capital area and nearby cities such as Busan and Daegu by accelerating the Dongdaegu-Changwon high-speed railway.

Q6. Any message for the citizens?

This year is said to be very difficult. The year started with words like confusion, rapid change, and turmoil rather than hope and dreams. However, I believe that the more difficult the times, the more we can overcome crises if we unite our strengths. For this, it is very important that many people look in the same direction and recognize problems together. Therefore, harmony and unity among citizens will be very important, and we will pay close attention to these aspects.

We will mobilize all available administrative means to stabilize livelihoods and revitalize the local economy, such as strengthening events linked to using neighborhood markets, rapid budget execution, and improving local order rates. We will push forward prepared policies without hesitation, focusing solely on citizens.

If citizens show great interest and sometimes support, it will give us more strength. I hope this year will be one where we overcome the current crisis together.