Association of Special Metropolitan Mayors and Association of Mayors and Governors of Population-Declining Regions Join Hands to Overcome Local Extinction Crisis

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Jung Jun-sung] The Association of Special Metropolitan Mayors and the Association of Mayors, Governors, and District Heads of Population-Declining Regions have joined hands to overcome the crisis of local extinction and achieve balanced and mutual development across regions.

The Association of Special Metropolitan Mayors comprises five special metropolitan cities: Suwon, Yongin, Goyang, Changwon, and Hwaseong. The Association of Mayors, Governors, and District Heads of Population-Declining Regions represents 89 basic local governments nationwide facing local extinction crises.

The Association of Special Metropolitan Mayors (Chairman Lee Jae-jun, Suwon Mayor) and the Association of Mayors, Governors, and District Heads of Population-Declining Regions (Chairman Song In-heon, Goesan County Governor) signed a memorandum of cooperation on the 28th at the National Assembly Members' Hall, with Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun and Goesan County Governor Song In-heon signing the agreement and pledging cooperation.

The ceremony was attended by National Assembly Representative Shin Jeong-hun, Chairman of the Administration and Safety Committee, Representative Yom Tae-young (Suwon), and representatives from population-declining regions.

The two associations agreed to seek ways to revitalize regions through cooperation in diverse fields including economy, culture, tourism, and volunteer service.

Specific cooperation contents outlined in the memorandum include: △establishing training facility spaces using idle properties and promoting and facilitating the sales of agricultural and specialty products; △exchanging art museum and museum collections and hosting sports exchange competitions in the culture, sports, and arts sectors; △developing stay-type rest areas to facilitate cultural exchanges between urban and rural areas in the tourism sector; and △medical volunteer services to increase accessibility to high-quality medical services.

The two associations also agreed to cooperate on activating the recruitment of "floating population," regional economic activation projects, and mutual promotion of the Love My Hometown Donation Program.

Following the ceremony, Mayor Lee Jae-jun and Goesan County Governor Song In-heon delivered a "Recommendation on Activating Joint Cooperation between Population-Declining Regions and Special Metropolitan Cities" to National Assembly Representative Shin Jeong-hun, Chairman of the Administration and Safety Committee, requesting administrative and fiscal support.

The recommendation included requests for: △administrative and fiscal support for joint cooperation activation projects between population-declining regions and special metropolitan cities (major metropolitan areas); △support to ensure that successful policy cases are widely disseminated and implemented in more advanced forms and directions; and △active government-level promotion to encourage participation of major metropolitan cities.

National Assembly Representative Shin Jeong-hun, Chairman of the Administration and Safety Committee, said, "I appreciate the mutual cooperation and efforts of the two associations for co-prosperity development" and promised, "The Administration and Safety Committee will actively cooperate and provide support."

Representative Yom Tae-young (Suwon) stated, "I hope that population-declining regions and major metropolitan areas will expand human and material exchanges and create a co-prosperity model."

Goesan County Governor Song In-heon said, "Population-declining regions are facing many difficulties," and urged, "I hope the government and the National Assembly will show greater consideration so that population-declining regions can develop."

Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun said, "Today's agreement will be the first step in creating a new model for local autonomy and decentralization and a new model for regional growth," and added, "I hope the National Assembly and the government will support the creation of a model that not only special metropolitan cities but also major metropolitan cities nationwide can cooperate with population-declining regions."