Feature Mayor Lee Sung-ho of Yangju's 'Moving Road' Initiative: Communication with Citizens

Since taking office last year, Mayor Lee Sung-ho of Yangju has been moving at a brisk pace over the past year to realize ‘clear change that citizens desire, inspiring Yangju.’

Prior to hosting the ‘2017 Moving Road Town and Village Round-table Discussion’ for communication with citizens, the mayor stated, “I will carefully examine what citizens truly desire, down to the smallest details, and do my best to realize the clear change and inspiring Yangju that citizens want,” expressing his commitment to communication to reflect the authentic voices of citizens in city administration.

The round-table discussion, held to discuss city administration operational methods with citizens and establish cooperation and communication systems, commenced on the 19th in Janghung-myeon, followed by discussions on the 20th in Hoecheon 4-dong, Baekseok-eup, and Gwangjjeok-myeon, on the 21st in Yangju 1-dong and Yangju 2-dong, on the 24th in Hoecheon 2-dong, Hoecheon 1-dong, and Hoecheon 3-dong, and concluded on the 25th in Eunhyeon-myeon and Nam-myeon.

Mayor Lee Sung-ho conducted the round-table discussion in a talk-show format, departing from formality and protocol, and made efforts to meet citizens' right to information and hear diverse and broad suggestions. He shared the city administration philosophy of ‘citizenship, communication, innovation, integrity, kindness, and on-site response’ with citizens and received enthusiastic applause for engaging in candid dialogue about city administration, requesting citizens' cooperation for Yangju to develop into a better future.

The round-table discussion proceeded in the order of a performance by the Yangju City Symphony Orchestra, video viewing of major city administration operational directions, and open dialogue.

Through a video on major city administration operational directions, the city explained various visible achievements across diverse fields: communication initiatives with citizens such as ‘open mayor's office’ and ‘township head for a day,’ achieving external integrity rating of Grade 2 in public sector integrity evaluation results and implementing trusted public service; selecting as a city good for business with nationwide first place in economic activity affinity and excellent evaluation in regulatory reform for cities and counties; constructing omni-directional metropolitan transportation infrastructure through Metro Line 7 passing preliminary feasibility review and promoting construction of Local Route 39; promoting railway station area development projects such as releasing greenbelt restrictions near Yangju Station; actively pushing job support projects through job center operations and job fairs, resulting in top selection in job creation; designating women-friendly cities through attracting the Gyeonggi Northern Women's Business Comprehensive Support Center and opening the Gyeonggi Northern Worker Health Center; creating healing destinations through developing the nation's largest celosia flower cluster; establishing Yangju's former status through beginning Yangju Gwanaa Site restoration project and completing Hoeamsa Site comprehensive development project.

Furthermore, the city proclaimed 2017 as the inaugural year of social infrastructure construction and is intensively promoting initiatives to grow into a city at the center of northern Gyeonggi with a population of 300,000 by 2020: expanding customized welfare facilities such as regional senior welfare centers, comprehensive welfare centers for the disabled, veterans' halls, and farmers' halls; creating jobs through development of Eunnam Industrial Complex, installation of employment and welfare plus centers, and attraction of Gyeonggi Northern Techno Valley; fostering a premium education city through creating innovative educational environments by cultivating school-industry-research connected job-tailored schools, activating backward classrooms, and establishing a central library; revitalizing Yangju's splendid culture through completing Yangju Gwanaa Site restoration project, activating intangible cultural heritage, establishing Min Bok-jin Museum and Yangju Art Center to create a culturally prestigious city; creating women-friendly cities where all families are happy through establishing comprehensive childcare support centers, U-city complex centers, and completing comprehensive safety experience centers for northern Gyeonggi; creating strong agricultural cities through opening public riding facilities, opening eco-friendly agricultural microbial cultivation facilities, fostering insect industry as future food resources, and realizing marketing strategies for Yangju agricultural products; creating prestigious residential environments through improving pleasant residential environments with rapid promotion of Yangju New City, railway station area development, Ilryeong city development projects, and comprehensive development of Eunhyeon and Nam-myeon areas; and creating transportation-hub cities with omnidirectional connections through metro line 7 commencement of construction, increased service of metro line 1, promotion of Local Route 39, opening of Guri-Pocheon-Yangju expressway, and commencement of construction of the Second Outer Ring Expressway.

Under enthusiastic interest from citizens, the Moving Road held in 11 towns, villages, and districts saw attendance of 100 to 200 people from each area, with approximately 230 suggestions and diverse opinions for city development presented in a friendly atmosphere. Bureau directors and heads of current project departments attended to provide immediate responses when possible.

Particularly, citizens participating in the dialogue showed high interest, keenly questioning solutions and implementation intentions regarding matters ranging from civil complaints such as inserting ‘Yangju’ into names of various interchanges and improving abandoned houses to installing rain covers at medicinal water fountains, to sensitive regional issues.

Additionally, before engaging in open dialogue with citizens, the mayor received reports on pending tasks from township heads and encouraged staff to conduct administration that realizes the genuine changes citizens truly desire.

On the 19th, marking the beginning of the ‘Moving Road’ in Janghung-myeon, the city listened to diverse opinions including installation of village water and sewage pipes, bus service increases addressing daily inconveniences, Janghung-myeon comprehensive development plans, promotion of Local Route 39 projects, and requests for lifting development restrictions and military protection facility restrictions. The session became a place for communication where solutions were discussed through immediate question-and-answer exchanges at the site.

On the 20th, Hoecheon 4-dong discussed attracting comprehensive hospitals and logistics centers within the new city and transportation-related matters such as bus route changes; Baekseok-eup discussed early promotion of Local Route 39 road expansion projects and establishment of sports centers; and Gwangjjeok-myeon discussed resolving western zone transportation issues.

Additionally, on the 21st, Yangju 1-dong discussed prompt promotion of Yangju Station area development projects and installation of crime prevention CCTV; Yangju 2-dong suggested educational infrastructure construction such as establishing a new middle school and building indoor gymnasiums for elementary schools, and adjusting bus intervals. On the 24th, residents of Hoecheon 2-dong discussed resolving parking issues and confirming sidewalks; Hoecheon 1-dong discussed opening urban planning roads and installing bus stops; and Hoecheon 3-dong discussed in a free atmosphere infrastructure and transportation issues such as connecting newly established bus route 90 to Deokjeong Station and opening bicycle roads.

On the final day, the 25th, Eunhyeon-myeon discussed resolving garbage and factory odor problems and opening agricultural wells; Nam-myeon actively discussed residents' daily inconveniences and environmental issues such as installing speed bumps and resolving odor problems.

Among the suggestions raised during the round-table discussion, Mayor Lee addressed issues that could be resolved immediately at the site and actively presented alternatives for difficult-to-resolve matters, gaining strong support from citizens.

The city plans to comprehensively review feasibility by relevant departments and, considering urgency and budget circumstances, handle suggested matters as much as possible within the year. For matters that cannot be processed within the year, the city will create management ledgers by region for systematic management and pursue them year by year to minimize citizens' inconvenience.

To this end, the city held a suggestions report meeting on the 25th to devise handling methods for suggestions received through the 24th, and plans to establish a rapid and systematic promotion system through continued report meetings. The city plans to strengthen communication by informing citizens in detail of handling plans and contents at each processing stage for the suggestions.

Citizens who participated in the round-table discussion stated, “The determination of Mayor Lee Sung-ho of Yangju to accurately understand what citizens desire and conduct city administration through communication stood out in this round-table discussion,” and “It was a time when we could engage in much dialogue in a short period.”

Mayor Lee Sung-ho stated, “Through this round-table discussion, it was a meaningful time to listen to authentic voices from the field regarding what citizens' inconveniences are and what citizens desire,” and “I will not neglect a single item of opinions presented at this round-table discussion as a promise to citizens.”

He also said, "To resolve the suggestions, I will share them across departments and resolve them as quickly as possible," and stated his commitment, “I will practice communication-oriented administration serving citizens and conduct city administration together with citizens.”

Meanwhile, the mayor stated, “I am doing my best to attract Techno Valley, which will become a new driving force for development in northern Gyeonggi,” and “As a result of signature campaigns for attracting Gyeonggi Northern Techno Valley, 131,204 citizens participated with one heart to earnestly hope and cooperate. I express sincere gratitude to all citizens who cooperated, and I ask for continued interest and participation.”