Mayor Lee Donghwan: "We Must Boldly Change Existing Paradigms for the City's Future"

Donghwan Lee, Mayor of Goyang, Reviews Progress of 2025 First-Half Pledges
Safety is the Top Priority Directly Linked to Lives... Calls for Thorough Preparedness
"Budget is a Means to Realize Policy, Not Just Numbers... It Must Be Spent Where Truly Needed"

On July 23, Donghwan Lee, Mayor of Goyang Special City, held an executive meeting in the main conference room of Goyang City Hall to review the progress of his pledges in the areas of urban infrastructure, future development, and transportation for the first half of 2025.

Donghwan Lee, Mayor of Goyang Special City. Provided by Goyang Special City

This meeting followed previous reviews of pledges related to citizens' quality of life, such as jobs, education, and culture. Mayor Lee urged the responsible allocation of the budget to ensure that essential projects for citizens are carried out.

Mayor Lee expressed his gratitude to employees who were on emergency duty during the recent heavy rainfall, stating, "As torrential rains and typhoons have caused significant loss of life and property damage nationwide, Goyang City must also conduct thorough inspections and preparations to prevent harm to our citizens." He specifically mentioned the need for preemptive safety inspections and practical measures for high-risk areas such as slopes and retaining walls.

He also called for responsible budget planning in anticipation of the second supplementary budget and the main budget allocations.

Mayor Lee stated, "Since the beginning of the 8th popularly elected administration, Goyang City has secured 470 billion won in national and provincial funds and has maintained fiscal soundness through the utilization of Goyang Sports Complex, the collection of delinquent taxes, and the management of public assets." He added, "Please ensure that the budget is allocated responsibly so that funds are focused on areas truly needed by citizens."

He further emphasized, "Utilizing the Goyang Sports Complex as a concert venue is an innovative example of how local governments can make use of their assets."

Mayor Lee went on to say, "By uncovering hidden sources of revenue, we have strengthened fiscal soundness, and at the same time, Goyang City has gained a reputation as a city of performances and concerts. I ask that we continue to seek ways to create new value by utilizing the city's assets."

Additionally, Mayor Lee stressed the need for approaches that break from existing paradigms from various perspectives and methods for urban future-related pledges being pursued by the city, such as the Free Economic Zone, the express service on Subway Line 3, and the construction of the second lake park in Changneung New Town.

Meanwhile, immediately after the executive meeting, there was a special lecture on AI by Taebong Ko, Head of Research at IM Securities and an expert in the AI industry, under the theme of "Enhancing Understanding of the AI Industry."

Mayor Lee stated, "To use AI properly, we must consider the ethical issues that technology can easily overlook and establish guiding principles. Education, hands-on training, and an administrative philosophy must support this, and I ask that senior officials also work to enhance administrative efficiency based on their accumulated experience."