Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin Discusses Local Issues at Sanghyeon 1·2-dong Communication Forum

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Choi Ki-ho] On the 5th, Yongin Special City Mayor Lee Sang-il held separate communication forums with residents at the Administrative Welfare Centers in Sanghyeon 1·2-dong, Suji-gu, introducing the city's developments and discussing local issues by district.

Residents of Sanghyeon 1-dong inquired about the process of establishing a semiconductor high school and requested an expansion in the frequency of Yongin City Tour operations and support for Yongin City's character 'Joa-yong' at events throughout Gyeonggi Province.

Saemaul Women's Association Vice President Lee Ho-il said, "I heard that a semiconductor high school will be built in Yongin," adding, "It would be good if the promotion process were well publicized so that students can refer to it when choosing their career paths."

The mayor said, "Since taking office, I have actively promoted the establishment of a semiconductor high school for semiconductor talent development, which is also my campaign promise," and explained, "The plan to build a semiconductor high school with dormitories accommodating 384 students at the site of the Namgok Branch School in Namsaeup, Cheokin-gu passed the Ministry of Education's central investment review in April, so I believe it can open in March 2026."

The mayor said, "The construction budget for the high school is 45.5 billion won, and if the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education designates it as a Meister High School, an additional 5 billion won in national funding will be provided," adding, "If a semiconductor high school is established in Yongin, it will be the first in Gyeonggi Province."

Elderly Club President Park Shin-il said, "I heard news that the civil servants' union praised Mayor Lee Sang-il for doing a good job, and I believe his example of earning trust from citizens and public officials through many accomplishments for Yongin's development should be shared nationwide," and added, "One request is that you increase the frequency of Yongin City Tour operations so that elderly people can use it smoothly."

The mayor said, "Among the total population of Yongin Special City, seniors aged 65 and over account for 15.7 percent," and explained, "Yongin Special City received certification as an age-friendly city from the World Health Organization (WHO), and we held a plaque ceremony at City Hall today, which is a result of being evaluated for projects that promote the health and welfare of our elderly."

He continued, "We are trying to provide various programs including support for elderly activities through smart senior center pilot projects and support for elderly leisure activities through expansion of park golf courses, and we will make efforts so that elderly people can have more opportunities to enjoy the city tour."

Resident Kim Hyun-ja said, "Many citizens love the city character Joa-yong," and added, "It would be nice if you could rent out the Joa-yong costume so that the city's image can be strengthened when representing the city at various events held throughout Gyeonggi Province."

Culture and Arts Director Cho Moon-hee said, "If you apply to the Public Relations Office, the department in charge, two weeks before the event with an event plan stating the use of the Joa-yong costume and a plan for personnel deployment such as safety staff, rental is possible."

In Sanghyeon 2-dong, residents proposed various opinions including prioritizing support for art trucks at dong events, improving the slope of the barefoot path within Sanghyeon Park, and repairing damaged sidewalk blocks.

Ju Young-sik, chairman of the Resident Autonomy Committee, said, "Every October, Sanghyeon 2-dong holds the Sosil Peak Festival to create a space for resident harmony, but the process of securing an art truck from the Yongin Culture Foundation this year was not smooth, so we barely obtained the truck by postponing the festival date by one day," and added, "When various festivals are held in 38 eup·myeon·dong across the city, art trucks will be needed, and it would be good if the city would improve this issue."

The mayor said, "I remember participating in the Sosil Peak Festival last year even in the rain and spending an enjoyable time," and added, "It seems that eup·myeon·dong events are concentrated in spring and fall, creating intense competition for art truck usage, so I will try to find ways the city can understand demand in advance and adjust accordingly."

Resident Oh Jung-ja said, "Thank you for the city excellently installing a barefoot path and foot-washing station in Sanghyeon Park," and added, "It would be good if the slopes around the barefoot path were compacted with sand or similar material, and if shoe racks were installed around the foot-washing station so shoes are not scattered about."

The mayor said, "Citizens' response to the barefoot path has been positive, so the city plans to expand it further," and added, "The slope repairs and shoe rack installation you pointed out will be addressed as quickly as possible."

Nam Yeon-sook, secretary general of the Resident Autonomy Committee, said, "There are many damaged sections of sidewalk blocks near the Sanghyeon 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center, causing many accidents with residents getting injured," and added, "I request that the sidewalk blocks be safely improved."

The mayor said, "Since the sidewalk improvement project was carried out in 2019, five years have passed and some sections are damaged, which would inconvenience residents," and added, "Considering that inconvenience would be even greater for people with disabilities using wheelchairs and elderly people, I will prioritize sidewalk maintenance and allocate budget to repair it."

The mayor said to city officials present at the forum, "When awarding projects, rather than simply delegating work, I hope you will carefully oversee construction and make efforts to raise the quality of even small projects," and added, "Administration should be based on trust, so we should not give the impression of empty words, and we should not proceed halfheartedly either. Please handle what is possible quickly and thoroughly to resolve citizen inconvenience, and for problems that are difficult to address immediately, explain the circumstances well to gain citizen understanding."

The mayor has been making rounds visiting all 38 eup·myeon·dong in the district since May 1 to communicate candidly with residents and listen to complaints.

Prior to the forum, the mayor explained the city's key projects and major issues, including this year's budget size, progress on public recruitment initiatives, the formation of an L-shaped semiconductor belt including the Idong·Namsaeup Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex, the expansion of the Gyeonggang Line (Gwangju Station in Gyeonggi~Namsaeup, Yongin) and new construction of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway (Jamsil Complex Sports Complex Station~Seoseo~Seongnam~Suji, Yongin~Gwanggyo, Suwon~Bongdam, Hwaseong), exemption from preliminary feasibility review for the expansion project of National Route 45 (from 4 lanes to 8 lanes), and other traffic network expansion policies.