[New Year's Address]
Dear citizens of Osan, 230,000 strong!
And fellow public servants!
Leaving behind the eventful year of 2019, we welcome the new year 2020, the Year of the White Rat (庚子年).
As we greet this hopeful new year, I sincerely wish that health and good fortune will abound in the homes of all citizens and public servants, and that all your cherished aspirations will be fulfilled.
Moreover, I extend my deepest gratitude once again to each and every citizen who has shown particular interest in and generous support for city affairs throughout the past year.
On New Year's Day, many people gathered to witness the sunrise at Doksan Fortress. Looking at the sun rising anew on the first morning of the new year, we all wished for great hopes for this year of the White Rat. On the large banner hanging in front of our city hall, we have written:
"...Originally, there were no roads on the earth
One person walks first
And as more people walk,
That becomes a road..."
The past ten years have been about making such roads.
As I gazed upon the rising sun, I recalled my original purpose from ten years ago in 2010 when I was first called to serve as mayor by the people of Osan, and I reflected deeply on the path forward for our city and renewed my determination.
Dear citizens of Osan, 230,000 strong!
And fellow public servants!
Last year, celebrating thirty years since the founding of Osan City, was a meaningful year in which we accomplished great things in all sectors—education, economy, welfare, safety, ecological urban environment, and culture and arts—to create a larger, newer, more secure, and happier Osan as I promised to the citizens.
I can confidently say that Osan City, which was newly established in 1989, has now transcended its thirty years as a youthful city and entered a virtuous cycle of genuine urban development.
As a third-term mayor in the seventh democratically elected term, I was called again with a national-leading voting rate of 72.3%. Knowing the citizens' aspirations in giving me the opportunity to steadily and unwavering pursue and complete many initiatives undertaken so far, I have looked only to the citizens and run forward. Based on the results of citizens' support, I have presented the direction for the future of our Osan as follows:
First, as a leader in global innovative education, we will further solidify and publicize the identity of an education city;
Second, we will continuously develop key sectors of industrial economy and public-type jobs;
Third, along with urban development such as establishing tourism and Korean Wave infrastructure to revitalize major local economies, we will enhance living convenience and urban quality in all sectors—welfare, childbirth, childcare, culture and arts, ecological environment, transportation, and safety—to establish intrinsic competitiveness.
Based on this large-scale urban development strategy, we promised to gather the strength of myself, our public servants, and citizens to realize "a happier Osan where people shine," and to create a foundation for leaping toward a hundred-year future.
The year 2020, the Year of the White Rat, will be the first year to transcend the grand thirty years of youthful Osan and leap into a new thirty years, creating a hundred-year Osan.
Simultaneously, we will enter the third year of the seventh democratically elected term, making this the most crucial year for concentrating on all major projects and translating into action the many promises and commitments we have made to citizens.
In particular, we will ensure that the many initiatives undertaken over the past ten years bear fruit one by one.
Let me briefly outline this year's key policy implementation plans across six sectors.
First, we will more powerfully promote the establishment of future city infrastructure that can shape the future of our Osan.
Second, we will create Osan as the nation's finest education city growing into a democratic educational community.
Third, we will create a vibrant economic city with substance and vitality.
Fourth, we will create a welfare community city where everyone shares happiness together.
Fifth, we will carefully examine citizens' lives and living environments to construct safe, healthy, and convenient living infrastructure.
Sixth, we will establish a healing green city through ecological environment restoration and enable all citizens to fully enjoy culture and arts.
I have outlined the implementation direction of this year's major projects across six broad sectors by field. The reason we can powerfully and boldly pursue so many precious initiatives in Osan this year is because of the invaluable efforts and preparations accumulated over the past year and past ten years by all our public servants and citizens.
Marking the thirtieth anniversary of the city's founding, last year 2019 was filled with truly meaningful developments.
As mentioned earlier, the joyful news that arrived late last year—the return of otters, the discovery of a fortress from 1,500 years ago, and designation as a cultural city—are truly precious fruits gained through ten years of unwavering dedication by myself, our public servants, and 230,000 Osan citizens alike.
Above all, I believe these outcomes resulted from citizens' unlimited trust in city administration and their participation throughout all processes of implementing policies, along with their unreserved encouragement, support, and guidance.
Personally, based on such precious accomplishments in city administration achieved last year, I also received the Dasan Civic Leaders Award.
I am truly grateful.
Dear respected and beloved citizens of Osan, 230,000 strong!
And about one thousand public servants!
This year 2020, the Year of the White Rat, is called the "Year of the White Rat." White represents new beginnings, and the rat symbolizes prosperity and flourishing.
2020 will be a year of "the beginning of prosperity and flourishing," a year in which seeds of all things are conceived in darkness, and the fortunes of our Osan will rise greatly.
This new year will bring many challenges and pending issues to resolve, and many projects to complete.
However, I am confident that if we gather the wisdom and capabilities of our regional community and add the great strength of Osan citizens, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Allow me to make a special remark.
The so-called Natural Ecology Experience Center set to open at City Hall this year has generated considerable discussion, and I have received much valuable advice from all of you.
I am convinced that the era of public office opening has arrived for local governments. The boldly pursued ecology experience center is a new attempt to return unused city hall space to citizens and create a citizen-open city hall.
In connection with the "car-free cultural street" project that will become a main policy trend of our Osan,
not only will we realize the sharing of urban spaces among citizens, but also serve as a central role in revitalizing the local economy through tourist attraction, earning recognition as advanced and creative administrative practices.
In 2020, more joyful developments await our Osan. I and about one thousand public servants will fill this year with sweat and dedication. Citizens, you may look forward to it.
As we ask for your continued support and participation in the new year, I hope that health and good fortune will abound throughout this year 2020, the Year of the White Rat, in the homes of all our public servants and citizens.
May you receive abundant blessings in the new year.
Thank you.
On the Morning of New Year 2020
Osan Mayor Kwak Sang-wook
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