Seo Tae-won, Gapyeong County Mayor, Declares 'Unceasing Development of Gapyeong'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Seo Tae-won, Gapyeong County Mayor, held his inauguration ceremony as the 42nd Gapyeong County Mayor on July 1 at Gapyeong Culture and Arts Center, marking a fresh start for the 9th civilian-led county administration.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by some 1,000 people, including Kim Jong-sung, Chairman of the Gapyeong County Council, county councilors, heads of local organizations and agencies, and residents, who congratulated Mayor Seo on his inauguration.

The event was conducted as an 'open inauguration' with residents, reducing formal protocols and adding meaning to communication and harmony.

The inauguration ceremony proceeded in order: pre-ceremony performances, video screening celebrating the launch of the 9th civilian-led administration, entrance with representatives of residents, oath of office, inaugural address, delivery of 'Shoes of Hope' from the government employees' union, congratulatory remarks from guests, and post-ceremony performances.

In particular, 35 residents from various fields—including youth, seniors, farmers, small merchants, and cultural and artistic figures—entered alongside Mayor Seo Tae-won, symbolically announcing the launch of a resident-centered new county administration.

In his inaugural address, Mayor Seo Tae-won stated, "The residents' choice is both an evaluation of the achievements of the past four years and a solemn mandate to create an even greater Gapyeong over the next four years," and pledged, "Based on a county administration centered on communication, harmony, and integration, I will achieve unceasing development of Gapyeong."

Through his inaugural address, Mayor Seo stated, "I will make regional economic revitalization our top priority, actively support small merchants and self-employed business owners, and expand youth employment opportunities and entrepreneurship foundations," adding, "Through the extension of the GTX-B line, the construction of the Second Gyeongchun National Route, expansion of road networks, and the supply of integrated public rental housing, I will create the best residential city in the Seoul metropolitan area."

Mayor Seo also said, "I will create a Gapyeong where future generations reside through special education development zone projects, expanded scholarship programs, and youth housing and entrepreneurship support," and noted, "Through elevation of Jara Island to national garden status, creation of a year-round stay-based tourism city, cultivation of young farmers, and expansion of smart agriculture, I will breathe new vitality into the local economy."

Regarding the welfare sector, he stated, "I will build a county-run hospital without delay and construct a robust welfare safety net for seniors, people with disabilities, and the underprivileged," emphasizing, "I will strengthen a prevention-focused safety management system to create a Gapyeong where all residents can live with peace of mind."

Concluding his remarks, Mayor Seo Tae-won said, "If the past four years were a time to confirm Gapyeong's potential, the next four years will be a time to raise that competitiveness to the highest level in the Republic of Korea," and pledged, "Together with our residents, I will surely realize a city where nature blossoms as economy, a Gapyeong where everyone wants to live and stay."