Yeoju City Successfully Concludes 2026 Citizens' Communication Forums

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Mayor Lee Chung-woo of Yeoju City successfully concluded the '2026 Citizens' Communication Forums' held to welcome the new year 2026, beginning on January 13 in Gaman-eup and ending on the 30th in Ohak-dong, completing a 12-day journey.

The Citizens' Communication Forums began with visits to specialized facilities, followed by communication with field-level civil servants in eups, myeons, and dongs who serve as citizens' representatives, reports on 2026 municipal policies, reports on major projects by eup, myeon, and dong, reports on previous suggestions, and a session where citizens presented their requests and the mayor directly responded to them.

In particular, the newly planned specialized facility visits, reflecting the characteristics of each eup, myeon, and dong, took on added significance by providing an opportunity to hear from local residents whose voices had been difficult to raise in previous citizens' forums, thereby addressing blind spots in municipal governance.

Additionally, the mayor met with various stakeholders in each eup, myeon, and dong, including merchant associations in Gaman-eup, smart farm farmers in Jeomdong-myeon, businesses in Sejong Daewang-myeon, Korean beef farmers in Heungcheon-myeon, young farmers in Geumsa-myeon, life improvement associations in Sanbuk-myeon, young farmers in Daesin-myeon, doctors in Buknae-myeon, the Gangcheon Island Festival Promotion Committee in Gangcheon-myeon, merchant associations in Yeohung-dong and Jeombong-dong, merchant associations in the Sejong and Hangul Market areas in Junggang-dong, and merchant associations in Ohak-dong, listening to their requests.

The 2026 municipal policy report provided a session in which the Planning and Budget Division presented the major projects to be undertaken by Yeoju City in 2026 in a clear and easily understandable manner.

During the Citizens' Communication Forums, citizens from various sectors, ranging from ordinary residents to neighborhood leaders, raised 357 requests encompassing issues from everyday inconveniences such as road maintenance in village alleyways to city-wide problems such as revitalization of established downtown areas. To ensure that citizens could have their questions addressed as much as possible on-site, Mayor Lee arranged for department heads from relevant departments to be present, allowing citizens to resolve their concerns in real-time.

Mayor Lee Chung-woo stated, "Starting with the 2026 Citizens' Communication Forums, it will be a year in which citizens come first and we implement administration that citizens desire," adding, "During the remaining term of the 8th popular election cycle, we will carefully listen to citizens' opinions and reflect them in municipal administration."