"Every Citizen Should Enjoy a Dignified Life According to Constitutional Values"
Local Currency Drives Consumption and Economic Circulation Within the Region
After first becoming involved with Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province as a social activist in 1997, Park Seungwon has spent nearly 30 years here as a politician and public administrator. This is the resume of Park Seungwon, Mayor of Gwangmyeong.
Meeting Mayor Park in his office at Gwangmyeong City Hall, he said, "I wanted to realize my dream and conviction of building a sustainable city through the implementation of a basic society here in Gwangmyeong," adding, "Before I knew it, 28 years had passed."
Seungwon Park, Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, emphasizes that the realization of a basic society is an essential condition for the sustainable growth of the city. Photo by Gwangmyeong City
Mayor Park is often called an advocate for the 'basic society.' He is a regular presence at policy seminars, both large and small, related to basic society. A basic society is one that combines basic income and basic services to address inequality and provide all citizens with a fair starting point.
He stated, "The answer to sustainable urban growth lies in the realization of a basic society." The six core values promoted by Gwangmyeong City in its eighth popularly elected administration-local autonomy, lifelong learning, climate response, resource circulation, social economy, and garden city-are all closely aligned with the basic society that Mayor Park pursues.
Mayor Park said, "Every citizen should be able to enjoy a life of dignity in accordance with the values enshrined in the Constitution," and evaluated his seven years in office during the seventh and eighth administrations by saying, "The efforts to realize a basic society have not failed."
Last month, Gwangmyeong City enacted and promulgated the 'Ordinance for the Realization of a Basic Society.' This marks the first time a local government has established an institutional foundation for realizing a basic society. Following the ordinance, the city created a 'Basic Society Team' within its organization and is currently forming the 'Gwangmyeong City Basic Society Committee,' which will include citizens and experts. The city plans to use this committee as a hub to develop comprehensive plans, including a five-year roadmap, to realize a basic society.
He said, "Civic awareness of democracy is essential for achieving sustainable urban growth through a basic society." This is why the city held events such as the 'Basic Society Policy Idea Contest' and 'Roundtable Discussions' for citizens this year.
Mayor Park stated, "To advance toward a basic society, the first priority should be implementing customized policies for each age group, such as child allowances," and added, "To overcome polarization, care for vulnerable groups must also be prioritized in policy."
He especially emphasized that "personal happiness begins with learning," highlighting the need for an educational environment free from discrimination. This is the background for the city's decision to provide a flat 300,000 won 'Lifelong Learning Support Grant' to all citizens in their 50s who are approaching retirement, without any discrimination.
Mayor Park explained, "When we analyzed lifelong learning programs for the middle-aged, we found that participation rates were unexpectedly low, and essential workers were unable to benefit from learning due to their jobs," adding, "We decided to provide the lifelong learning support grant based on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to receive an education without discrimination."
Park Seungwon, mayor of Gwangmyeong City, who has been boldly expanding the issuance of local currency this year, said, "We will establish a virtuous economic circulation structure where citizens' consumption leads to local income." Provided by Gwangmyeong City
Mayor Park is also gaining attention for his bold livelihood recovery policies aimed at revitalizing the stagnant local economy. At the beginning of the year, during the political turmoil of impeachment, the city provided all citizens with 100,000 won in local currency as a livelihood recovery grant. Furthermore, the city increased the annual issuance of local currency from the originally planned 120 billion won to 500 billion won-more than a fourfold increase.
Notably, the livelihood recovery grant provided at the beginning of the year reached 93.4% of the city’s total population, and the usage rate was as high as 98.9%, earning praise for its role as a catalyst in reviving livelihoods.
He explained, "Local currency is not just about stimulating consumption; it is a key policy for creating an economic structure in which local capital does not flow out but circulates within the region," and added, "We will firmly establish a virtuous economic circulation structure where citizens’ consumption leads to local income."
He also dismissed concerns raised in some quarters about potential fiscal strain due to the expanded issuance of local currency. Mayor Park explained, "We are securing stable funding for issuance through efficient budget allocation and support projects from the central government and Gyeonggi Province."
To ensure the success of local autonomy, one of the core values of the eighth popularly elected administration, Mayor Park is putting significant effort into the 12.71 million square meter 'Gwangmyeong-Siheung Public Housing District,' a third-generation new city project.
He said, "During the seventh and eighth administrations, I have worked to embed the blueprint for a city with local autonomy into the Gwangmyeong-Siheung New City," adding, "In particular, through the successful development of the Gwangmyeong-Siheung Technovalley, which is being created in conjunction with the new city, we will build a self-sufficient city where work and home are in close proximity."
The Gwangmyeong-Siheung Technovalley, currently under construction in the Gahak-dong area of Gwangmyeong and the Mujinae-dong area of Siheung, covers 2.44 million square meters and has reached 40% completion. The city expects that, once completed, the technovalley will create over 30,000 jobs and generate 350 billion won in production-induced effects.
Mayor Park stated, "Gwangmyeong is no longer a peripheral city but is establishing itself as a leading city of 'innovation' and 'growth' in Korea," and added, "Going forward, together with our citizens, we will build a sustainable, self-sufficient city where everyone prospers."
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