Dear residents of Hanam!
The new year of Eul-Sa (乙巳年) has dawned. Wishing you a prosperous new year.
Over the past year, Hanam City has been a meaningful year in which it has widely publicized its reputation as a livable city and elevated the city's status. The city received high external evaluations for excellent policies and administrative services, including ranking 1st nationwide in the Ministry of Interior and Safety's 'Comprehensive Civil Service Evaluation,' 1st nationwide in the Road Traffic Authority's 'Traffic Safety Index,' 4th in the Seoul Metropolitan Area in the Urban Research Institute's 'Social Safety Index,' and 4th nationwide in the Donga Ilbo Future Strategy Research Institute's 'Regional Development Index Evaluation.'
However, based on 2021 statistics, Hanam City's per capita GRDP is approximately 27 million won, ranking 17th within Gyeonggi Province and about one-fifth of Gangnam, and overcoming this is necessary to make a leap to becoming the most livable city in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Now, based on the solid foundation laid through administrative innovation, I will concentrate city administrative capabilities to enable Hanam City to make a leap as a city good for business and a livable city.
First, I will make efforts to establish a more convenient transportation system.
In 2025, I will stabilize village bus quasi-public management and municipal bus public management systems to provide stable public transportation services, and will improve transportation convenience for Weolley and Gamil residents through the construction of a new Hakam Bridge 1 and transportation for the western district bus depot project.
I will create pedestrian passages connecting Misa Hangang Park and the Hangang walking trail, while making my best efforts to ensure resident convenience through opening communication channels, hosting resident briefings, and other measures related to Suseok Bridge construction. I will also promptly advance the opening of connecting roads to Gamil Pangnadadari-gil, the extension of Subway Line 9 and Line 3 to Hanam, and will actively consult with related agencies on plans to extend the Weolley New Line to Hanam.
Second, I will provide active support for business activities and successful business attraction to establish a solid foundation for economic growth.
While actively supporting Hanam City business activities through the Business Support Center and other channels, the Camp Colburn project, which has been adrift for 18 years, has gone through private business recruitment in December last year, and this year will go through the process of selecting a preferred contractor in the first half, with the goal of establishing an SPC (special purpose corporation) in the second half.
The K-Star World project, which will serve as a springboard for Hanam's leap as a K-culture-centered city, is based on the amendment to Green Belt Release Guidelines (July 2023, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) and the streamlining of administrative procedures for foreign investment (November 2023, Emergency Economic Ministers' Meeting). Following the start of basic concept development (August 2024) and preliminary briefings for private business recruitment (November 2024), the plan is to create private business recruitment guidelines in the first half of this year and formally begin the project through private business recruitment in the second half.
Furthermore, through a consultation regarding the supply of self-sufficient facility sites in Gyosan New City, I will establish a strategy for attracting high-quality enterprises and make thorough preparations in advance so that quality companies can enter.
Just as Subway Line 5, which most people said was impossible, now serves as the artery of Hanam City's transportation, the three major development projects will play the role of the heart of Hanam's future economy.
For Hanam to develop into a self-sufficient city where 500,000 residents will work, live, and enjoy leisure in the future, urban development projects must succeed. Please pool the strength of 330,000 residents.
Third, I will enrich citizens' lives with abundant culture and the arts.
Last year, 80,000 citizens participated in busking performances and cultural festivals, receiving great response, and Misa Hangang Sand Road has established itself as a representative destination nationwide with national-level walking events. In 2025, I will expand special busking performances to Weolley and Gamil areas, additionally construct barefoot trails by region, and make culture naturally permeate citizens' daily lives.
Fourth, I will continue to provide optimal environments for nurturing future talent.
Hanam City is expanding childbirth incentives and postpartum care fees, and is supporting paternity leave incentives and family care allowances, providing comprehensive support from pregnancy to childcare. In 2025, along with expanding the Together Care Centers, I will construct a Children's Hall and an English-specialized Children's Library by the first half of 2026, continue promoting the separation and establishment of Hanam Office of Education, and work to resolve overcrowded classrooms with the timely opening of Misa Middle School 5 and Misa High School 4.
Fifth, I will balance the expansion of living infrastructure by region.
Following the opening of the Deokpung Sports and Culture Center in the original downtown in January 2025, the Gamil Complex Community Center will be completed by the first half, and the Misa 3-dong Public Complex Government Building and Weolley Complex Sports Facility will be completed by the second half without any setbacks, creating an environment where all residents of the original downtown, Gamil, Weolley, and Misa can conveniently utilize living infrastructure.
Dear residents of Hanam City!
2025 will be a challenging year amid rapidly changing external circumstances.
This year, I have chosen Mabuwichim (磨斧爲針) as the four-character idiom for 2025 city administration. Meaning 'to grind an axe into a needle,' it refers to the principle that no matter how difficult a task may be, it can certainly be accomplished through ceaseless effort. Although there are many very difficult tasks ahead, I will make this year the year of bearing the fruit of 'a leaping Hanam' by using the competitiveness that Hanam City has demonstrated over the past two years as a springboard.
I express my gratitude to all of you for your interest and support for city development despite difficult circumstances last year. I ask for your continued unchanging affection and cooperation in the new year.
Wishing you a prosperous new year! Thank you.
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