Gumi City and City Council Hold Policy Meeting

Focused Discussion on Cultural, Industrial, and Transportation Issues
Full-Scale Launch of Regular Collaborative Governance

Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province has officially begun collaborative efforts with the city council to address local issues and enhance policy implementation.

Gumi City and City Council Hold Policy Meeting

Gumi City, Gyeongbuk is taking a commemorative photo after holding a policy meeting with the city council. Photo by Byunggeon Kwon

On August 5, Gumi City held a policy meeting with city council members from the People Power Party, engaging in substantive discussions on key local issues such as the creation of a cultural industrial complex, the construction of a history museum, the expansion of the North Gyeongsang Free Economic Zone, and the establishment of a new East Gumi Station.

This meeting went beyond a simple policy briefing, delving into execution strategies, budget allocation, and mutual cooperation measures. The agenda covered a wide range of topics, from community-based issues in towns and neighborhoods to matters of industry, culture, education, transportation, festivals, and living infrastructure.

In particular, there was a consensus to institutionalize regular policy meetings between the city council and the executive branch to enhance the effectiveness of municipal tasks, marking what is seen as the first step in building a foundation for collaborative governance.

Mayor Kim Jangho of Gumi emphasized, "Policy is not completed at the desk but in the field," and added, "Through regular policy meetings, the administration and the council must work together to create changes that citizens can truly feel." He further stated, "Regardless of political gains or losses, when it comes to the lives of citizens and the future of Gumi, we are all one team."

Gumi City plans to strengthen bipartisan cooperation by including city council members from the Democratic Party, and aims to further improve policy execution through close collaboration with members of the National Assembly and provincial councilors.

In addition, the city intends to accelerate regional development by enhancing communication with the city council during the implementation of major projects and budget execution processes planned through 2026.

Park Gyosang, Chairperson of the Gumi City Council, stated, "This meeting was not simply a venue to list current issues, but was meaningful in that we designed feasible policies and sought a system for joint response by the council and the executive branch." He added, "We will establish an institutional foundation so that collaborative governance operates as a regular system, not just a one-time event."

This policy meeting, which aims to combine practical fieldwork with structured cooperation, is being recognized as a model of responsible administration suited to the era of local autonomy, and is expected to serve as a leading example for other local governments in the future.