Jinju City Council Member Shin Hyunguk Delivers Five-Minute Speech at 271st First Plenary Session

Pyeonggeo District Middle School Site Left Vacant for 14 Years
Calls Grow for Jinju City to Make a Decision

At the 271st first plenary session of the Jinju City Council in South Gyeongsang Province, Shin Hyunguk, a member of the Urban Environment Committee, strongly urged a resolution to the issue of the middle school site in the Pyeonggeo District during a five-minute free speech.

Assemblyman Shin emphasized, "It has been left vacant for 14 years since the school site was developed in 2012," and added, "If establishing a school is difficult, the site should be repurposed instead of remaining neglected."

Photo of Shin Hyunguk, Member of the Urban Environment Committee, Jinju City Council.

He pointed out that although he had officially raised the need for either establishing a new middle school or relocating an existing one at the plenary session in September 2022, Jinju City has not made any decision even after three years.

Currently, the site is designated as a school zone under the city plan, but the construction of a school has been continuously postponed due to declining school-age population. Assemblyman Shin stated, "Failing to provide even a public space for citizens simply because a school cannot be built cannot be considered responsible administration," and urged Jinju City to proactively develop a plan for utilizing the site.

He cited national examples of repurposing unused educational sites, such as the 'Ieumteo' model in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, the Seongsu Culture and Welfare Center in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, and the Wisdom Sea Library in Gimhae, suggesting that the Pyeonggeo District site could also be transformed into a space for culture, sports, or learning.

Assemblyman Shin called on Jinju City to: ▲ officially clarify whether a school can be established, ▲ present specific plans for utilization such as a complex space for culture, sports, and the community, and ▲ form a consultative body with relevant institutions.

Finally, he concluded, "It is understandable if the administration cannot build a school. However, it is difficult to understand administration that fails to reach any conclusion for 14 years," adding, "Now, Jinju City must answer how it will bring the site to life."