Zero-Emission Electric Bus Large-Scale Distribution and Charging Infrastructure Construction Named Suwon City's Best Policy of 2019

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] 'Large-scale distribution of zero-emission electric buses and construction of charging infrastructure' has been selected as the best city policy of Suwon City in 2019.

The city selected seven projects implemented throughout 2019 as '2019 City Administration Best 7' and presented awards during the 'January Expanded Senior Executive Meeting' held on the 24th in the city hall conference room.

The city reviewed 70 projects submitted by various departments through written and documentary screening to narrow down to 14, then conducted a survey among citizens, public officials, and journalists to select the top 7 projects.

'Large-scale distribution of zero-emission electric buses and charging infrastructure construction' took first place, while 'nation's first administrative boundary adjustment in residential areas' and 'securing water supply to respond to environmental disasters including fine dust and heat waves' were ranked second and third, respectively.

The city is actively pursuing the introduction of electric buses to reduce air pollutants such as greenhouse gases and fine dust. It has set a goal of 'introducing 1,000 electric buses by 2022.'

In January, the city signed a 'business agreement for promoting eco-friendly electric bus distribution' with Suwon Yeokaek Transportation Co., Ltd. and decided to cooperate in promoting electric bus distribution. It supported the purchase of 94 electric buses and provided the Northern Public Parking Garage as a site for electric bus charging infrastructure. On December 9, the city held a completion ceremony for the charging infrastructure equipped with 96 chargers.

The 'nation's first administrative boundary adjustment in residential areas' occurred when the regulation 'Regarding Changes in Jurisdiction between Suwon City and Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province' took effect on September 13, resulting in the Chungmyung Centrevill Apartment complex being transferred from Yongin City to Suwon City.

A semi-residential area of 42,619.8 square meters around National Route 42 in Suwon's Weoncheon-dong was transferred to Yongin City, while an area of 85,961 square meters around Chungmyung Centrevill Apartment in Yongin was transferred to Suwon City. This was the first time in Korea that an administrative boundary adjustment occurred in a residential city area.

Due to the administrative boundary adjustment, elementary school students residing in the Chungmyung Centrevill Apartment complex, who previously attended an elementary school in Yongin City that is a 20-minute walk away, will be able to attend Suwon's Hwanggok Elementary School, which is only a 4-minute walk away, starting next year.

The unreasonable administrative boundary adjustment procedures between Suwon City's Mangpo-dong area and Hwaseong City's Banjeong-dong area are also progressing smoothly.

On the 20th, a hearing regarding the boundary adjustment between Suwon's Mangpo-dong and Hwaseong's Banjeong-dong passed in the Gyeonggi Province Council. On the 23rd, Suwon City, Hwaseong City, and Gyeonggi Province signed a 'joint agreement for unreasonable administrative boundary adjustment between Suwon City and Hwaseong City' at the Gyeonggi Province Government Office.

While procedures such as Ministry of Interior and Safety review and legal bill drafting remain, boundary adjustments are expected to proceed smoothly since the Ministry usually accepts agreements between local governments as they are.

'Securing water supply to respond to environmental disasters including fine dust and heat waves' refers to Samsung Electronics' decision to expand its recycled water facilities at its business site and provide environmental water to Suwon City at no cost.

Yeongtong-gu and Samsung Electronics' Global EHS Center (Environmental Safety Headquarters) signed a 'business agreement for supplying environmental water' in June. After the agreement, the recycled water supply facilities and connecting pipes were completed, and a water supply ceremony was held near Samsung Bridge in Maetan-dong in August.

When fine dust, yellow dust, heat waves, and droughts occur, environmental water supplied by Samsung Electronics is sprayed on roads to reduce dust and lower road temperatures. It is also used for landscaping irrigation. Yeongtong-gu previously used river water and wastewater treatment plant effluent as environmental water, but with Samsung Electronics' assistance, it can now use water more conveniently from a nearby location.

Other selected projects include ▲'New 1794 Project' (4th place) - 'Dreaming Again with Innovation' ▲Completion and operation of 'Suwon Convention Center,' Suwon's future (5th place) ▲Promotion of mandatory installation of break facilities for apartment security guards and others (6th place) ▲Resolution of Gwanggyo Water Source Protection Area conflict through social consensus (7th place).

Meanwhile, 'Resolution of Gwanggyo Water Source Protection Area conflict through social consensus' was selected as a best practice at the 'Case Presentation Conference on Cooperation between Local Governments, Conflict Management, and Deliberation-Based Citizen Participation' hosted by the Ministry of Interior and Safety in November.