Wonju-si to Overhaul Four Affiliated Institutions... Operational Innovation and Functional Strengthening

【Financial News Wonju = Reporter Kim Ki-seop】Wonju-si is pursuing operational innovation and reform at four affiliated institutions closely tied to residents' daily lives, including the conversion of its facilities management corporation into an urban development corporation.
According to Wonju-si on the 21st, Mayor Goo Ja-yeol held a briefing on current issues that morning in the Wonju City Hall briefing room and announced plans to improve the operations and development direction of four institutions: the Wonju Facilities Management Corporation, Wonju Cultural Foundation, Wonju City Sports Council, and Wonju Volunteer Center.
First, the city will convert the Facilities Management Corporation into an urban development corporation. Wonju is preparing for an era of 500,000 residents, and demand for urban development—including industrial complexes and station-area projects—is rapidly increasing. The city has determined that relying solely on the management and operation of existing public facilities would limit its ability to respond. After the conversion, the corporation will be able to undertake regional development projects such as residential land and industrial complexes. Profits from those projects will be reinvested in initiatives for residents, including public facilities and the expansion of social infrastructure. In light of a series of issues, including patronage-based appointments, improper use of business expenses, and workplace bullying, the city will also conduct a comprehensive review of internal controls and organizational culture following the inauguration of a new president.
The Wonju Cultural Foundation will be reorganized into the Wonju Culture and Tourism Foundation, and its nonexecutive representative director system will be replaced with a full-time representative director system. The move is intended to enable a more active response to the changing cultural and tourism environment, as the nonexecutive system had delayed swift decision-making and made internal communication difficult. The foundation will also establish a Tourism Business Office, Tourism Policy Team, and Tourism Marketing Team to link culture and tourism organically and develop distinctive content unique to Wonju.
The city called on the Wonju City Sports Council to pursue sweeping operational reforms and devise self-help measures. Public trust has been severely damaged following controversy over the appropriateness of the former secretary-general's appointment and, more recently, suspicions of corruption related to a bid for team uniforms that led to an investigation. The city requested improvements to the recruitment procedures and standards so that the fairness and transparency of the secretary-general appointment would be enhanced and qualified candidates could be selected through an open recruitment process.
The Wonju Volunteer Center will be transformed into a field-oriented organization. The city will normalize the board and decision-making system and expand the number of directors with professional expertise. It will also strengthen the operation of the Volunteer Council so that the voices of volunteer organizations working in the field are substantively reflected. Dispatching Wonju-si officials to the center will further strengthen cooperation among the city, the center, and volunteer organizations.
Mayor Goo said, "The reform direction announced today applies not only to the four institutions but equally to every institution operated with citizens' taxes and administrative support." He added, "Based on transparency, fairness, and integrity, we will thoroughly inspect whether all affiliated institutions are being operated in a manner befitting the era of citizen sovereignty, correct unreasonable practices, and build an administration that earns citizens' trust."

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