Managing Social Unrest and Economic Crisis... Emphasizing the Need to Move Forward
President with Local Government Experience Expected to Understand and Address the Importance of Regional Economies
On June 4, immediately following the 21st presidential election, Mayor Kangdeok Lee of Pohang held a press briefing in the City Hall briefing room, where he announced the direction of city administration aimed at revitalizing the local economy and stabilizing public livelihood.
Mayor Kangdeok Lee is holding a press briefing at City Hall on the 4th, announcing the direction of city administration for revitalizing the local economy and stabilizing public livelihood. Photo by Pohang City
Mayor Lee stated, "I would like to thank everyone who cooperated to ensure that the presidential election was conducted smoothly and without major incidents. Now is the time to swiftly overcome social unrest and economic crises and move forward," he emphasized.
He specifically addressed the difficulties facing the local economy, highlighting the urgent need for crisis response.
Mayor Lee said, "The steel industry and secondary battery industry are facing serious challenges, and local small businesses are also shrinking, resulting in ongoing economic difficulties in the region. Moreover, President Trump of the United States announced that, starting from the 4th, steel and aluminum tariffs will be raised from 25% to 50%, making it inevitable that our steel industry will suffer significant damage," he expressed with concern.
In response, Pohang City has decided to focus its administrative efforts on stabilizing public livelihood and revitalizing the local economy in line with the new government's policy direction.
Mayor Lee said, "Since there is no presidential transition committee, we will actively propose Pohang's key projects linked to the president's pledges to central government ministries to secure national funding early and make every effort to ensure that major pending issues are included in the national agenda."
The core projects being promoted include: the establishment of the POSTECH College of Medicine, designation of the steel industry as a preemptive response area for industrial crisis, and the enactment of special laws related to the steel and secondary battery industries.
In particular, since the establishment of the POSTECH College of Medicine is included in the new government's policy pledges, the city plans to actively propose the inclusion of Pohang's medical school quota in the soon-to-be-formed Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee, and to take comprehensive action with the goal of securing the medical school quota by 2027.
Overcoming the regional industrial crisis was also cited as an urgent task. Mayor Lee stated that he would work to secure the early designation of the region as an "industrial crisis preemptive response area" and actively pursue the enactment of special laws to maintain the foundation of the steel and secondary battery industries, targeting both the government and the National Assembly.
He also emphasized the importance of ensuring the smooth progress of the Pohang Yeongilman Grand Bridge construction, a key ongoing project, and integrating strategies for fostering new industries such as hydrogen, bio, and AI in line with the new government's policy direction to secure future growth engines.
Mayor Lee said, "As President Lee comes from a local government background, he will be more aware than anyone of the difficulties and voices on the ground in the regions. I hope that he will not overlook the importance of local economic recovery and balanced development, and will actively work to solve regional industrial and livelihood issues."
The city will also resume large-scale cultural events and festivals to invigorate the stagnant local economy.
Major local festivals, such as the Pohang International Fireworks Festival, the Pohang Music Festival, and the Chilpo Jazz Festival, which had been postponed due to the presidential election, will be held intensively in June and July to revitalize the depressed commercial districts and economy, signaling the start of a full-fledged economic recovery.
Additionally, the city plans to operate programs linking major beaches and tourism resources, including the Songdo Beach, which will reopen after 18 years, until the end of August, aiming to attract summer tourists to Pohang and inject vitality throughout the city.
Mayor Kangdeok Lee emphasized, "After an unprecedented period of political and economic upheaval, we must now move toward stability and unity. We will do our utmost to stabilize public livelihood so that citizens can focus on their daily lives with peace of mind, and will work closely with the new government to ensure that Pohang stands firm as a central city in Korea's leap forward."
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