Mayor Shin Sangjin: "Seongnam's Innovation Now Moves Toward Completion"
From Presidential and Prime Minister's Commendations to Global Recognition
Seongnam City Proves Its Policy Competitiveness as 'Global Top Class'
Citizen-Centered Policies Like "Solomon's Choice" Spread Nationwide
Record-Breaking Awards Each Year... Peaking at 72 This Year
Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Shin Sangjin) has been solidifying its status as a leading local government in South Korea, breaking its own record for the number of awards received each year since the launch of the 8th popularly elected administration.
According to Seongnam City on December 30, as of December 2025, the city has received a total of 220 awards from external organizations over the past three and a half years since the start of the 8th administration in July 2022.
By year, the city received 41 awards in the second half of 2022, 51 in 2023, 56 in 2024, and 72 in 2025, demonstrating a steady annual increase in achievements since the beginning of the 8th administration. These figures indicate that the outcomes of policy initiatives have not been one-off, but have been accumulated and expanded each year.
The awards include one Presidential Commendation, four Prime Minister's Commendations, and 74 commendations from central government ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. In addition, the city received 71 commendations from Gyeonggi Province, 10 awards from media organizations, and 24 from various private sector entities, earning recognition from a wide range of organizations, including the central government, provincial governments, the private sector, and the media.
By sector, the health and welfare field accounted for the most awards with 57, followed by culture and arts with 25, education with 15, local economy with 16, environment with 13, and technology with 8. The city achieved balanced results across all areas directly related to citizens' lives. Notably, most of the eight awards in the technology sector were concentrated in 2025, indicating that the advanced and smart city policies pursued so far have begun to bear significant fruit.
From 2023 to 2025, the city won the Grand Prize and Excellence Award for three consecutive years at the National Manifesto Best Practices Competition for Local Government Heads. It also received the Grand Prize, Excellence Award, and Encouragement Award for three consecutive years at the Excellent Administration and Policy Case Selection Competition organized by the Korea Public Policy Evaluation Association, thereby demonstrating both the completeness and effectiveness of its policies.
In addition, the youth matchmaking event "Solomon's Choice" was highly praised for its contribution to addressing the social issues of low birth rates and reluctance to marry. The event achieved notable results at various award ceremonies organized by public and private sectors, including the Gyeonggi Province Low Birth Rate Response Best Practices Competition, the 2024 National Empathy Campaign, and the K-Brand Awards.
This year, the city also received meaningful recognition on the international stage. Seongnam City became the first Korean city to win the Grand Prize in the Mobility category at the World Smart City Awards, the world's largest smart city awards, with its Human-Centered Mobility as a Service (MaaS) initiative. The city also won the Silver Award in the Technology and Solutions category at the LivCom Awards, hosted by the LivCom Committee in the United Kingdom and organized by the United Nations Environment Programme, officially recognizing the international competitiveness of Seongnam's policies.
In areas closely related to citizens' daily lives, Seongnam City received the Minister of Employment and Labor Award at the National Local Government Job Awards for the first time in four years since 2021. The city also stood out in employment and housing, being the only local government to win the Grand Prize in the Residential Innovation category at the 29th Livable Apartment Selection Competition.
Seongnam City stated that these achievements are the result of consistently implementing policies aimed at creating a "city of hope through advanced innovation" and building a city where citizens can enjoy a high quality of life, which have borne even more tangible results this year.
Mayor Shin Sangjin of Seongnam City said, "The record of awards achieved through this year is the result of policies and administration built together with our citizens," adding, "We will continue to make Seongnam a livable city through practical policies that enhance the quality of life for our citizens."
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