Sangrae Cho Marks One Year as Gokseong Governor... Laying the Foundation for 'Citizen-Centered' Change

From Tangible Life-Oriented Policies to Development Strategies
Full-Scale Realization of "A New Gokseong, Hopeful Residents"
Presenting the "Five Future Visions"... "We Will Draw the Blueprint for the Future"

Sangrae Cho, Gokseong County Governor.

Sangrae Cho, the Governor of Gokseong County in South Jeolla Province, marked his first anniversary in office on October 14, announcing the major achievements of the past year. He stated that he has focused on resolving local issues and securing future growth engines under the principle of "citizen-centered" governance. The county has been recognized for driving meaningful changes in areas closely tied to residents' daily lives, such as transportation welfare, addressing healthcare gaps, and revitalizing the local economy, thereby laying a solid foundation for the region's development and progress.

◇ Tangible Changes Through 'Life-Oriented' Policies

Over the past year, Gokseong County has concentrated on improving residents' quality of life through a variety of life-oriented policies. Notably, the eligibility criteria for the "Hyo-do Taxi" service, designed to address transportation blind spots, were eased from 700 meters to 500 meters, and the beneficiary pool was expanded, receiving a strong positive response. A long-standing wish for 65 years, the establishment of a pediatric clinic with regular hours was successfully realized through the "Hometown Love Donation Program," with over 1,500 users in just four months and a 100% satisfaction rate, presenting a successful model for medical welfare.

The revitalization of the local economy is also noteworthy. The county doubled the issuance of the Simcheong Gift Certificate to 22 billion won compared to the previous year and provided every resident with a 200,000 won Living Vitality Support Fund, injecting new energy into local businesses. Efforts to stabilize residents' lives have continued with the enactment of the "Gokseong County Basic Income Ordinance."

Efforts have also been accelerated to improve the residential environment for youth and attract new residents. The completion of public rental housing in Gokseong-eup, the promotion of the Youth Housing Town and Jeonnam-style Ten-Thousand-Won Housing projects, have all contributed to housing stability. The "Work Village in Gokseong" initiative has established a workation culture, expanding the influx of living population. The creation of a rural study village has doubled the number of student residents, leading educational innovation.

In the agricultural sector, achievements were made in transitioning to smart agriculture and fostering high-value-added specialty crops. A 8,710-square-meter smart greenhouse was completed, providing a base for future farmers. The increased production and sales of blueberries and melons have significantly contributed to boosting farm incomes. The expansion of public foreign seasonal worker programs and the implementation and automation of agricultural machinery rental services have helped alleviate rural labor shortages and strengthen competitiveness.

◇ 'Gokseong Where People Want to Live' - Five Future Visions

Building on the achievements of the past year, Governor Cho presented a strong commitment to Gokseong's development by unveiling "Five Future Visions" for the next decade. The main visions include: ▲ Establishing a research, processing, and export ecosystem through the advancement of the rose industry ▲ Declaring 2026 as the "Year of Gokseong Tourism Leap" and attracting the "2031 International Garden Expo" to become a hub for ecological and cultural tourism ▲ Transforming into a mecca for AI smart agriculture and livestock to realize advanced agriculture ▲ Achieving a living population of five million through improvements in residential conditions and tourism development ▲ Achieving energy independence and increasing residents' income through the use of renewable energy.

Gokseong County plans to build on the changes and achievements of the past year and take bold steps toward realizing the county's vision of "A New Gokseong, Hopeful Residents."

Governor Cho stated, "The past year has been a time of planting seeds of change together in the lives of our residents," adding, "Based on the trust of our citizens, we will firmly establish citizen-centered administrative direction and draw the blueprint for Gokseong's future together."