Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho stresses, "We will create administrative changes that investing companies can feel"

【Financial News, Daegu — Reporter Kim Jang-wook】"When I went to Daegu, the attitudes of public officials had changed, and procedures had been completely overhauled."
Choo Kyung-ho, mayor of Daegu, made the remarks at an expanded executive meeting held at the Dongin Government Building on the 6th and stressed the need to create administrative changes that investing companies can genuinely feel.
At the meeting, Mayor Choo said, "We need to devise various support measures for investing companies and break away from the conventional framework of 'standard processing periods' to achieve a 'nation-leading level' in terms of administrative processing speed."
Referring to a company that recently decided to invest, he called for "creating cases in which matters that normally take a year are processed in a month or a week." He added, "This does not mean skipping necessary reviews and consultations related to licensing, permits, or the environment. We should complete the required reviews and consultations while bringing the processing schedule forward as much as possible."
He also made clear the principle that personnel management must provide rewards commensurate with performance and dedication. Mayor Choo said, "Performance evaluations must not be conducted perfunctorily according to existing practices," adding, "Those who work sincerely and passionately should be rewarded."
Ahead of deliberations on next year's budget proposal, he instructed, "Each department must first thoroughly review the necessity, scale, and rationale for its projects, and must not leave the decision entirely to the budget department." He continued, "Think about how you would assess the matter if you were the Budget Officer or the Director General for Planning and Coordination. Each of you must be able to confidently explain the necessity and feasibility of your respective projects."
Mayor Choo said that active communication with the city council, the National Assembly, and the media is fundamental to administration, and called for a review of established practices and the routine adoption of proactive communication.
He pointed out, "The city council, the National Assembly, and the media all need to engage in active communication. Going to explain matters only when an issue arises is complacent administration, and it is not enough to secure the level of understanding and cooperation we seek."
"Daegu is a city with great potential, and my belief that it is at the center of South Korea has never changed," Mayor Choo stressed. He urged, "Even amid difficult political and economic conditions, let us overcome our challenges together and deliver results based on Daegu's capabilities and the passion of its public officials."
He reiterated, "The difficulties facing Daegu have multiple causes, but the public service must also have a strong sense of responsibility. Let us focus all our capabilities and provide administration that earns evaluation, affection, and understanding from citizens."

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