Gwangju Special City Deputy Mayors Baek Seung-ju and Yun Nan-sil Pledge to Press Ahead with Balanced Development and Citizen Sovereignty Policies

【Financial News, Jeonnam-Gwangju—Hwang Tae-jong, Staff Writer】Baek Seung-ju, the inaugural deputy mayor for balanced development of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (Gwangju Special City), held an inauguration ceremony on the 21st and said, “Regional development depends less on the size of the resources available than on how they are connected and put to use.” He added, “I will link the strengths of each region and actively secure funding and investment to narrow regional disparities and lead balanced development.”
 Yun Nan-sil, the inaugural deputy mayor for citizen sovereignty, also said at the joint inauguration ceremony that day, “I will realize citizen sovereignty, in which citizens participate from policy formulation through implementation and evaluation, and their wishes—shaped through deliberation and public discussion—are reflected in policies and budgets.” She added, “Through daily-life-focused policies in areas such as care, welfare, and healthcare, I will bring meaningful change to citizens’ everyday lives.”
 The two deputy mayors were appointed after going through a citizen recommendation process and confirmation hearings at the city council. Their inauguration ceremony was held that day at Wangin Hall in the Muan Government Office, with around 200 people in attendance, including Gwangju Special City Mayor Min Hyeong-bae, division and bureau chiefs, and staff.
 Mayor Min Hyeong-bae said, “Now that Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City has been launched, it is important to deliver results so that citizens feel, ‘It was absolutely the right decision to integrate.’” He expressed confidence, saying, “With Deputy Mayors Baek Seung-ju and Yun Nan-sil, I believe we can do a very good job.”
 According to Gwangju Special City, Deputy Mayor Baek Seung-ju built expertise in economics and finance, having served as director general of the Fiscal Innovation Bureau and head of the Planning and Coordination Office at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, as well as deputy director of the Asian Development Bank Institute. 
 Deputy Mayor Yun Nan-sil has gained diverse experience in local autonomy and citizen participation, serving as a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, head of the Social Innovation Promotion Team of Gyeongsangnam-do, and secretary for institutional reform at the Office of the President.
 The inauguration ceremony is expected to mark the start of a full-scale push for balanced development and policy initiatives, including narrowing regional disparities and expanding citizen participation.
 Meanwhile, Gwangju Special City plans to hold an inauguration ceremony for Deputy Mayor for Industrial Economy Kang Myeong-su at its Eastern Government Office on the 26th, followed by a ceremony for Deputy Mayor for Administrative and Cultural Affairs Hwang Gi-yeon at its Gwangju Government Office on the 29th.

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