Gwangmyeong Mayor Park Seung-won: "I Will Create a Capable Gwangmyeong Together with Citizens"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Yu Je-seong] Mayor Park Seung-won of Gwangmyeong expressed his determination to build a capable Gwangmyeong together with citizens who have inherited the great spirit of citizen sovereignty.

At the '107th March 1st Independence Movement Commemoration Event' held at the Gwangmyeong Citizens Hall Grand Theater on the morning of March 1st, Mayor Park said, "The Declaration of Independence that resounded 107 years ago was a great civic revolution that went beyond recovering national sovereignty to advance from monarchy to democratic republic," and added, "Just as the solidarity and courage of that day created today's Republic of Korea, I will complete a sustainable future for Gwangmyeong with the power of citizen sovereignty and the power of solidarity."

He further stated, "I take the phrase 'all power comes from the people' in Article 1 of the Republic of Korea Constitution as the most solid standard for city administration," and emphasized, "I will place the principle that 'citizens are sovereigns who jointly determine the direction of the city' at the center of city governance, and will further solidify the realization of a citizen sovereignty city based on freedom, justice, and community solidarity."

Mayor Park presented three core strategic directions for city administration that inherit the March 1st Movement's spirit of 'citizen sovereignty': △completing a sustainable city △realizing a basic society △human-centered future growth.

First, to achieve a 'citizen sovereignty city' where citizens become the main actors, the city plans to transparently disclose all policy decision-making processes and expand everyday communication spaces such as life and culture welfare centers and library community spaces to strengthen the foundation of citizen solidarity.

In addition, based on the 'Basic Society Ordinance,' which was enacted for the first time nationwide to realize the discrimination-free world that ancestors dreamed of, the city plans to further advance policies that ensure citizens' dignified lives, including integrated care, public rental housing for youth, and public transportation subsidies.

The city also clarified its vision to prioritize people over the pace and scale of growth in pursuing large-scale development projects such as the Gwangmyeong-Siheung 3rd New City and Gwangmyeong-Siheung Techno Valley, and to design the city so that no one is left behind.

Additionally, Mayor Park announced that the city will attract the K-Arena to leap forward as a cultural and economic hub, and will smoothly promote the construction of seven railway networks and metropolitan transportation improvement projects to establish Gwangmyeong as a transportation hub city.

Mayor Park concluded by saying, "It was not power but the courage of citizens that changed history with bare hands 107 years ago," and added, "Without forgetting that courage, I will steadfastly walk the path of completing a capable Gwangmyeong together with citizens."

Meanwhile, approximately 400 people, including bereaved families of independence patriots, members of veterans organizations, and citizens, attended the commemoration ceremony, performing three cheers for independence and reciting the Declaration of Independence to honor the spirit of the March 1st Movement. Commendations for independence patriots were presented to Lee Yong-nam, a descendant of the patriot Lee Ji-bong, and Gil Young-hoon, the son of patriot Gil Chang-il.

In particular, a live reconstruction of the scenes of March 1st independence movement demonstrations that took place in the Gwangmyeong area using artificial intelligence (AI), followed by performances by young artists and youth of Gwangmyeong, left a deep impression on citizens.