Operation of the 100-Member Public-Private Resident Participation Group
Haenam-Style SDGs Emerge as a National Model Case
County Governor Myung Hyunkwan: "An Achievement Created Together with Residents"
Haenam County in South Jeolla Province announced on the 6th that it won the Grand Prize at the 27th Sustainable Development Awards Contest, hosted by the Korea National Council for Sustainable Development.
The Sustainable Development Awards is a nationwide contest held annually to discover and promote outstanding policies and cases for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in each region. This year, a total of 44 entries were submitted from across the country.
Haenam County was selected as the final outstanding local government after a document review, main presentation, and online voting. Under the theme of “Policy Implementation and Everyday Adoption of Haenam-style SDGs,” the county was highly praised for localizing the United Nations’ SDGs to suit regional conditions and for spreading practical action in daily life through collaboration between the administration and residents.
Haenam County won the Grand Prize at the 27th Sustainable Development Awards Contest. Photo by Lee Jungkyung
The county began by enacting the “Haenam County Basic Ordinance on Sustainable Development” in 2022, launched a joint public-private Sustainable Development Committee, and established the “Basic Strategy for Sustainable Development 2045” and the “Implementation Plan 2025-2029,” thereby solidifying its institutional foundation. The fact that strategies were directly developed by public officials and experts, rather than relying on external consulting, also drew attention.
In particular, Haenam County broadly reflected residents’ opinions by operating a 100-member citizen participation group, running a Sustainable Development University, and holding deliberative forums. The county completed a “resident-centered sustainable development” model by promoting resident-led practical project contests, SDGs Action Day relays, and a daily action bingo campaign, all planned and executed directly by residents.
The “Sustainable Development University” is a program that combines education, discussion, and field learning, which has brought about changes in participants’ awareness and has become a model recognized by other local governments.
Haenam County established a virtuous cycle of policy formulation, implementation, evaluation, and the spread of daily practice. As a county-level local government, it was also recognized for securing policy continuity and sustainability by preparing both a 20-year long-term strategy and a five-year implementation plan-an uncommon achievement at this level.
County Governor Myung Hyun-kwan stated, “This award is the result of joint efforts by the administration and residents,” adding, “We will continue to work with our residents to achieve meaningful change so that the Haenam-style SDGs can become the standard for sustainable development in Korea.”
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