High Praise for Resident-Centered and Communication-Focused County Administration
Kim Kwangyeol, Governor of Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang Province, received the highest grade (SA) in the "2025 Third-Year Evaluation of Public Pledge Implementation and Information Disclosure by Local Government Heads," announced by the Korea Manifesto Center on May 15. With this, he has maintained the top rating for three consecutive years.
Kim Kwangyeol, Yeongdeok County Governor, expressing his aspirations for county administration in 2025 through a press conference. Provided by Yeongdeok County.
This evaluation assessed the implementation of public pledges by local government heads nationwide during the eighth popularly elected term, using an absolute scoring system out of 100 points. The five categories evaluated were: completion of pledges, achievement of 2024 goals, communication with residents, web-based communication, and consistency of pledges.
Governor Kim's pledges consist of 46 projects across five areas: creating an attractive investment environment, fostering differentiated cultural tourism, realizing inclusive welfare, revitalizing rural and fishing communities, and promoting communication-centered administration. As of the end of last year, 22 projects had been completed, and the remaining 24 are progressing smoothly.
Notably, during his two-year term, Governor Kim achieved an implementation rate of nearly 50% without any unfulfilled or delayed pledges. He also received high marks in the achievement of 2024 goals and communication with residents. These factors were key reasons why he was the only county governor in North and South Gyeongsang Provinces to receive the highest grade for three consecutive years.
As a result, Governor Kim has now been recognized with the highest grade for three consecutive years, following the national evaluation of public pledge implementation plans in 2023 and the evaluation of pledge implementation and information disclosure in 2024. He is the only county governor in the entire East Coast region of North Gyeongsang Province, as well as in both North and South Gyeongsang Provinces, to achieve this distinction for three years in a row.
Since the launch of the eighth popularly elected administration, Governor Kim has emphasized "practical administration that residents can feel." He achieved a third-grade comprehensive integrity rating for the first time since 2012, and in the 2023 social survey, resident satisfaction with quality of life exceeded the provincial average, thereby increasing trust across all areas of administration.
Recently, even in the face of severe damage from a massive wildfire, he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to fulfilling pledges by promptly initiating emergency restoration and providing substantial housing support, thereby strengthening crisis response administration.
In particular, Governor Kim has continuously petitioned North Gyeongsang Province and central government agencies for the enactment of a special law for wildfire recovery and for the realization of support policies for affected residents. As a result, some support policies have been implemented, and this momentum has accelerated the installation of temporary housing, further advancing wildfire recovery and housing support efforts.
Governor Kim Kwangyeol stated, "Receiving the highest grade in the pledge implementation evaluation for three consecutive years is the result of the dedication of public officials and the trust of our residents," adding, "Even in the face of the crisis posed by a massive wildfire, I will do my utmost to implement recovery policies and lead us toward a new future."
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