Gangneung Mayor Kim Jung-nam Says He Will Reflect Residents' Voices in City Administration, Sets Direction Two Months Into Term

[Financial News, Gangneung = Kim Gi-seop] Gangneung Mayor Kim Jung-nam said on the 1st that, two months into his term, he has set communication with residents, response to the climate crisis, recovery of the local economy and the attraction of public institutions as his key priorities.
Kim held a press conference on the 71st Gangneung Citizens' Day and outlined the direction of the ninth popularly elected administration. Looking back on the past two months, he said it had been a period spent thinking about how to reflect residents' wishes in city administration. He added that narrowing the gap between citizens and the administration, responding proactively to the climate crisis, breathing new life into the struggling local economy and attracting the relocation of public institutions could no longer be delayed.
The first step is communication with residents. From July 22 to August 6, Gangneung held town hall meetings across towns, townships and neighborhoods, collecting 296 suggestions and assigning 327 items to departments for policy development on a short-, medium- and long-term basis. At City Hall, the open communication room Deureumteo, where the mayor meets residents directly every Tuesday and Thursday, received 130 cases by the end of last month.
The city is also overhauling its water supply system as it marks one year since a disaster was declared over last year's drought. It has identified four main pillars: diversifying water sources, expanding water purification facilities, improving aging water pipes and expanding local water supply systems. Gangneung has secured 47,500 tons of supplementary water per day from the Sacheon Reservoir and the Namdaecheon No. 2 intake station, and it will continue developing alternative sources such as the Yeongok groundwater storage dam and the Namdaecheon groundwater storage dam. On the 3rd, the city plans to ask the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment for a research project on securing alternative water resources in the Gangwon Yeongdong region and for follow-up policy support.
Efforts to revive the local economy are also being stepped up. After a city ordinance for a universal livelihood stabilization payment for all residents was rejected by the Gangneung City Council on July 31, Kim plans to resubmit it at this month's regular session and work with the council to secure the budget and make payments quickly. As a short-term measure, the city is pushing ahead with the Gangneung Economic Revival 100-Day Project, making a traditional market shopping campaign a regular event and launching a relay of mutual-growth visits among institutions. The monthly benefit cap for Gangneung Pay has been temporarily raised from 300,000 won to 500,000 won in the second half of the year, and additional interest support will be provided for corporate management policy loans for small business owners.
The city is also making an all-out push to attract public institutions. Gangneung launched an attraction committee and held a policy seminar on the 24th of last month to position itself as a hub city in the Yeongdong region for the second relocation of public institutions from the Capital Region. This month, it plans to form a civic campaign group and continue visits to government agencies and submit proposals. The government's announcement of the second relocation roadmap, originally expected in September, is now likely to be delayed until October or November.
Kim said, "The past two months have been a time to step into residents' daily lives, confirm Gangneung's reality and reset the direction of city administration." He added, "I will not stop at listening to residents' voices. I will find answers on the ground so those voices lead to real policy and change, and I will show results."

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter