Mayor Kim Gyeong-hee of Icheon Prepares for 2025

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Mayor Kim Gyeong-hee of Icheon announced on the 29th that she will present a vision and goals for "revitalizing the regional economy in 2025" and actively promote them.

The vision and goals presented by Mayor Kim include: △revitalizing the regional economy through customized support for each business, △expanding field-based support policies for small and medium-sized enterprises, △enhancing corporate competitiveness through fostering sound labor-management culture and protecting workers' rights, and △realizing energy welfare by expanding the supply of renewable energy and gas.

The following is the detailed content of the "2025 Vision and Goals" announced by Mayor Kim.

■ Revitalizing Regional Economy through Customized Support for Each Business

Through Icheon City's special business operation fund project, the city will support small and medium-sized manufacturers recommended by the city with an additional 1.2% guarantee fee for small and medium enterprise joint support on top of 2% interest rate support. The city will contribute small and medium enterprise development funds to Gyeonggi Province to support working capital and facility funds for small and medium enterprises within the city, and provide loan guarantee support for small and medium enterprises within the city with insufficient collateral.

Through entrusting public institutions, the city will support 12 projects including design development, overseas exhibitions, export logistics costs, star enterprise development, overseas market exploration groups, customized growth, and smart factory promotion and dissemination.

Additionally, through the business environment improvement project, the city will support infrastructure improvement projects such as water and sewage systems, labor environment improvement projects such as dormitory, cafeteria, and restroom renovations, and work environment improvement projects such as floor painting, work tables, loading platforms, and lighting replacements.

In particular, the city will support up to 80% of accommodation expenses for small and medium enterprise workers' dormitories, and through field-specific customized support including domestic exhibition participation support and startup incubation center support, will provide early support for a total of 19 projects.

■ Expanding Field-Based Support Policies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

For "identifying corporate challenges through on-site visits," the city will regularly make direct face-to-face visits to more than 10 businesses per month, identify support policies and challenges, and take immediate action. The city will also operate "The Mayor of Icheon Visits Local Businesses," a community window for visiting local businesses once a month, to listen to voices from the field.

Additionally, to expand purchases of small and medium enterprise products, the city will manage preferential purchase performance by department. The city will regularly hold sales and exhibition events for small and medium enterprise products, actively hold enterprise support briefing sessions and consultation meetings, and pursue field-based administration.

■ Fostering Sound Labor-Management Culture and Protecting Workers' Rights

To create a safe and comfortable working environment, the city will periodically conduct surveillance and prevention activities at industrial and construction sites at risk of industrial accidents, operate rest areas for mobile workers (delivery agents, quick delivery drivers, courier workers, etc.) providing rest and welfare spaces, and complete renovation work on aging facilities at the Icheon City Workers' Comprehensive Welfare Center swimming pool to provide more pleasant and safe sports facilities meeting citizens' expectations early on.

To strengthen workers' rights protection activities, the city will operate workers' rights advocates for small-scale businesses within the region (convenience stores, etc.) focused on part-time and vulnerable workers to conduct guidance activities on legal obligations such as labor contract execution and minimum wage compliance. The city will also efficiently operate the Icheon City living wage system for temporary workers belonging to Icheon City and employees of city-invested and contributed institutions.

■ Realizing Energy Welfare by Expanding Supply of Renewable Energy and Gas

To provide energy welfare administration without blind spots, the city will early promote agricultural and rural RE100 demonstration support projects, convergence support projects, energy-independent village creation projects, and urban gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) small storage tank supply projects to expand renewable energy distribution and strengthen energy welfare administration.

Mayor Kim Gyeong-hee stated, "2025 is right around the corner. Only those who prepare in advance can overcome difficulties. If we empathize with and listen to the small stories of businesses, no matter how difficult challenges may be, we can overcome them all," adding, "Through revitalizing the regional economy by strengthening corporate competitiveness, I will breathe new vitality into the stagnant regional economy, and by providing swift support for projects needed by businesses, I will create an environment favorable for business and build an Icheon where businesses and citizens are happy."