TF Meeting: Discussions on Employment, Economy, Resident Damages, and Environmental Restoration
Participation from City Government, Gwangsan District, Labor Office, City Council, Environmental Groups, and Others
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong is presiding over the first meeting of the 'Public-Private Joint Special Task Force (TF) for Regional Economic Crisis Response' held on the morning of the 30th in the small conference room of the city hall following the fire incident at Kumho Tire's Gwangju factory. Provided by Gwangju City
Gwangju City has established and officially launched the 'Public-Private Joint Special Task Force (TF) for Regional Economic Crisis Response' to minimize the economic shock to the region caused by the fire at Kumho Tire's Gwangju factory and to develop practical response measures.
On May 30, Gwangju City held a TF meeting in the small conference room at City Hall, where it shared the current response status with participating organizations and groups and exchanged opinions on follow-up tasks. The meeting was attended by Mayor Kang Gijeong, relevant city departments, the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office, Gwangsan District Office, Gwangju City Council, Kumho Tire, environmental organizations, and environmental experts.
As the fire recovery is expected to be prolonged, the city formed the special task force (TF) to proactively address the impact on local employment and the overall economic ecosystem.
During the meeting, each institution reported and shared the following: a report on the cause of the fire by the Fire Safety Headquarters; Kumho Tire's response measures and future plans; the Gwangju Research Institute's estimation of economic losses and response tasks related to the fire; environmental action plans and measures regarding air, water, odor, and waste; employment stability measures such as employment retention subsidies for workers; financial support for small business owners and management stabilization funds for partner companies; emergency livelihood and psychological support measures; operation of the employment situation support team by the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office; and Gwangsan District's application for designation as an employment crisis area.
In the subsequent discussions, participants raised the need to expand stakeholder participation, including Kumho Tire's labor union, partner companies, and affected residents; to strengthen cooperation for the designation of the area as an employment crisis zone; and to ensure that there is no secondary damage from the dispersion of pollutants during factory demolition.
The city plans to develop additional measures through working-level committees in the fields of environment, economy, and employment. Centered around the regular TF meetings (twice a month), the city aims to establish practical support measures that citizens can feel, continuously monitor the situation, and further strengthen inter-agency cooperation.
Mayor Kang stated, "This Kumho Tire fire has created complex risks across various sectors, including economic, social, and ecological environments, and the public-private joint TF was established to provide a systematic and comprehensive response. We need to comprehensively discuss and review issues such as guaranteeing worker employment, checking the ecological environment, compensating and supporting affected residents, and building a new factory."
Mayor Kang also emphasized, "I ask everyone to pool their wisdom so that the TF's efforts can become the seed that turns this major crisis into an opportunity. The fastest way to guarantee employment and restore the regional economy is to build a new Kumho Tire factory, and Gwangju City will actively cooperate and support the construction of the new factory."
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