Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo: “We will complete ‘A Greater Suncheon We Open Together,’ centered on three key growth strategies: economy, urban development and ecology”

【Financial News, Suncheon = Hwang Tae-jong】 Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo said on the 8th, “We will complete ‘A Greater Suncheon We Open Together,’ centered on three key growth strategies: economy, urban development and ecology.”
Mayor Son Hun-mo made the remarks at a vision ceremony held that day to mark 100 days since the launch of the ninth popularly elected administration, where he officially unveiled a blueprint for Suncheon’s leap as a ‘Future Economic City.’
First, to realize “an economy where growth translates into a better life for citizens,” the city will focus on nurturing future industries across five key growth areas: defense and space, global cultural tourism, the social and solidarity economy, an integrated economy for the eastern region, and Suncheon-style smart farms. Its goals include raising per capita GRDP (gross regional domestic product) to around 70 million won, attracting anchor companies and creating quality jobs.
The city will also ensure citizens’ rights and support their everyday lives as it creates “a more convenient and happier city,” with a living environment where everyone can live conveniently and happily. To this end, it will expand public deliberation and on-the-ground communication, led by the Office of Citizen Sovereignty, newly established under the mayor’s direct authority. It will also build a mobile platform for citizen participation, making it part of everyday life for citizens to take a direct role in the policymaking process.
The city will also expand multipurpose cultural and sports facilities and convenient spaces for relaxation as it develops “15-minute neighborhoods,” where people can enjoy culture, sports and recreation close to home. It will extend community infrastructure and Majeung taxi services to towns and townships as well, narrowing the gap in living conditions between urban and rural areas.
To uphold its reputation as “a sustainable ecological city offering rest and healing,” the city will extend the urban ecological corridor running from Suncheon Bay to Dongcheon as far as the Sindae Ecological Corridor and Yonggyesan Mountain. It will also bring citizens closer to nature in their daily lives through projects including the creation of Yeoja Bay National Marine Ecological Park, improvements to Dongcheon as a national river, and development of waterfront spaces along Haeryongcheon.
To extend the value of ecology into healing and wellness, the city will build forest wellness facilities by connecting the Yonggyesan Healing Forest with a natural recreation forest, a forest campground and a Wood Culture Support Center. It will also expand the foundations for a city of rest and healing, where citizens can restore their bodies and minds through marine healing at the National Marine Ecological Park and healing through interaction with companion animals.
The city will also press ahead with the green transition (GX), leading the way in resource circulation and carbon neutrality through an integrated biogasification facility and a Carbon Neutrality Support Center. It will expand solar-income villages funded by citizen investment, as well as solar power installations on homes and public parking lots, to establish a citizen-participatory transition model that links energy production with income.
Finally, Mayor Son emphasized, “The ‘Greater Suncheon’ envisioned by the city under its ninth popularly elected administration is not simply about the city’s outward growth. It is about ensuring that the results of our three key growth strategies—economy, urban development and ecology—are felt as tangible changes in the lives of Suncheon’s 280,000 residents.” He added, “I am confident that ‘A Greater Suncheon We Open Together’ will only be complete when we listen to voices from the ground with greater humility and turn them into concrete policies.”

[email protected] Hwang Tae-jong Reporter