Lee Jae-joon Begins Tenure as Suwon Special City Mayor, Inspecting Heavy Rain Damage Sites

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] Lee Jae-joon, the Suwon Special City Mayor who had planned to hold his inauguration ceremony on July 1st, began his tenure as the eighth popularly-elected Suwon City Mayor by inspecting flood damage sites caused by heavy rain the previous day.

The Mayor visited a terraced housing complex in Godeung-dong at around 8 a.m. on the day to confirm the damage and meet with residents.

On June 30th, a retaining wall of the A terraced housing complex collapsed, causing soil and debris to flow down, and the adjacent B villa also suffered damage. As a result, 24 residents (from 12 households) evacuated emergency, and Suwon City is providing 11 displaced residents with temporary accommodation (Suwon Youth Hostel) and meals.

The Mayor asked residents about their difficulties, and residents expressed concerns: "We cannot use tap water because the sewage pipes are damaged. Living at the Suwon Youth Hostel makes it difficult for children to commute to school."

Mayor Lee Jae-joon stated, "Responsible civil servants must quickly understand the repair schedule and inform residents specifically and promptly. Residents need to know the repair timeline so they can prepare accordingly." He added, "Conduct safety inspections to prevent such accidents from recurring, and take immediate action if problems are discovered."

After completing the inspection of the damage site, Mayor Lee Jae-joon visited and paid respects at the Suwon War Memorial Tower.

After paying respects at the War Memorial Tower, Mayor Lee exchanged greetings with civil servants at Suwon City Hall. Addressing the civil servants who filled the main lobby of City Hall, he said, "I have returned to City Hall after 6 years and 6 months (since stepping down as Deputy Mayor)," and promised, "I will create a new era based on cooperative governance and citizen participation."

He also said, "I heard rumors among civil servants that I am known as a 'tough-talking mayor,' but that is a misunderstanding. I am a comfortable and warm person like your next-door neighbor, so please don't worry," drawing laughter from the audience.

Mayor Lee Jae-joon said, "My predecessor Mayor Yeom Tae-young worked hard over the past 12 years and created Suwon's history. I will inherit what has been accomplished well and supplement any shortcomings."

He continued, "Suwon City's economic vitality has declined. I will step forward one step at a time to invigorate the economy and make Suwon City an 'economic special city.'"

Mayor Lee Jae-joon stated, "Regardless of civil servants' positions, I will treat directors, bureau chiefs, department heads, team leaders, and staff members equally. Let us gather our strength in a horizontal atmosphere and work hard," he urged.

The Mayor immediately moved to the City Hall Disaster Safety Situation Room, took his inaugural oath, and presided over a "Heavy Rain Damage Disaster Situation Report Meeting."

While the cumulative rainfall in Suwon City from January 1st to June 28th this year was 280.3mm, the rainfall from June 29-30th over two days reached 330.2mm.

Although there were no casualties, 100 cases of large and small damage occurred, including clogged stormwater pipes, debris outflow, retaining wall collapses, and flooding of stores and residences. As of 8 a.m. on July 1st, 98 cases have been repaired, and 2 cases are being addressed.

Mayor Lee Jae-joon said, "I appreciate the civil servants who did their best in disaster response and minimized damage. For damaged areas, conduct immediate safety inspections, and for flood-prone areas, identify the root causes and establish fundamental solutions."

He continued, "When disasters occur, please have responsible civil servants quickly rush to the scene and take safety measures. Many flooding damages have occurred in areas where common people live, so please find ways for the government to support them."

From 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mayor Lee Jae-joon inspected heavy rain damage sites in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Jangan-gu, and Gwonseon-gu.

At 3 p.m., he will conclude a "headquarters and research institute relocation investment agreement" with SD Biosensor Co., Ltd., a company located in the city, at the City Hall situation room, and visit SymsBionics Co., Ltd., a tenant company at Deltaplex.

Meanwhile, Mayor Lee Jae-joon canceled the inauguration ceremony that was scheduled to be held at the Suwon Convention Center on July 1st. As heavy rain caused damage, he decided to prioritize inspecting damage sites and ensuring citizen safety.