Hwaseong City Mayor Jung Myeong-geun: "We Will Move Forward with Confidence as a Leading City for the Future"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Chan-hyuk] On the 1st, Mayor Jung Myeong-geun of Hwaseong Special City held a policy briefing marking the third anniversary of his 8th term of civilian-led government in the city hall conference room, directly explaining to citizens and the media the major achievements of the past three years and the city's future policy direction.

At the briefing, Mayor Jung reflected on his feelings upon reaching the third anniversary of his inauguration, looking back on meaningful changes and achievements created together with 1.05 million citizens.

In particular, he emphasized that under the principle of 'Citizens' lives are the standard of city administration,' the city has achieved substantial results across all sectors including livelihood stabilization, advanced industry development, transportation innovation, and expansion of culture and welfare.

First, to revitalize the local economy, the city issued 509 billion won in local currency, the largest nationwide scale, and provided 30 billion won in special guarantees for small and medium-sized businesses.

Additionally, the city strengthened industrial infrastructure to enable 4,600 advanced industry companies including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai-Kia Motors, and Hanmi Pharmaceuticals to establish operations in Hwaseong, and secured a foundation for cultivating talent in future industries such as semiconductors through attracting KAIST Science Hub and Hongik University's 4th Industrial Revolution Campus.

In the transportation sector, the city greatly improved citizens' mobility convenience through priority operation of the GTX-A Dongtan-Seoser section, opening of the Seohae Line double-track railway, opening of east-west roads, and expansion of intercity bus and airport bus routes as well as expansion of Ddok Bus services.

For citizen safety, the city has established a prevention-focused safety management system through operating industrial safety guardians and creating fire risk maps, and is accelerating the expansion of insufficient fire-fighting facilities.

To address the low birth rate issue, the city has also announced it is proactively responding by investing 426.9 billion won in 75 projects encompassing marriage, childbirth, and childcare, including the nation's first youth marriage encouragement matching account 'Yeonji Gonji,' the nation's largest childbirth support fund of 10.1 billion won, the most childcare centers nationwide, and the nation's first dedicated childcare center scheduled to open in January of next year.

In the culture and sports sectors, the city has expanded citizens' opportunities to enjoy culture through approximately 900 performances and exhibitions annually, and has grown Hwaseong boat festival, King Jeongjo Filial Piety Culture Festival, and King Jeongjo's Royal Procession into flagship brands.

The city also raised its status in sports through winning the Gyeonggi Province Sports Festival three consecutive times, launching Hwaseong FC, and being selected as the main host city for the 2027 National Sports Festival and National Paralympic Games.

As a result of these efforts, Hwaseong City has been ranked as the nation's top city in overall competitiveness of local governments for eight consecutive years, ranked 1st nationwide in regional gross domestic product (GRDP), ranked 1st nationwide in number of companies and number of births, and received the highest rating in commitment implementation evaluation.

Mayor Jung presented 'a city where the lives citizens desire are fulfilled' as the future policy direction, stating that the city will promote major projects without delay including △establishment of ordinary districts △acceleration of Dongtan Tram △expansion of transportation networks △attraction of university general hospital △development of Hwaseong International Theme Park △Golden Coastal Road and Goryeom Mountain Sea Park △Seohae Maru Youth Hostel △Asia's largest-scale Botanic Garden and Hwaseong Arts Center △opening of Hwaseong Central Library.

In particular, the city presented plans to cultivate a complete future industrial ecosystem through establishing an autonomous driving living lab demonstration city, attracting AI advanced industry investment, upgrading semiconductor clusters, and developing eco-friendly industrial complexes, and to expand investment attraction achievements that have already exceeded 20 trillion won to 25 trillion won to provide citizens with quality jobs.

Furthermore, Mayor Jung added his aspiration to strengthen life-cycle-specific social safety nets through a dedicated organization for basic society launched for the first time nationwide, and to complete 'Hwaseong-style basic society' where welfare, housing, labor, education, childcare, and culture are in harmony.

Mayor Jung Myeong-geun emphasized, "Citizens' improved lives are the ultimate goal and starting point of city administration," and stated, "I will realize the promise of completing one's life together with citizens, and move forward with confidence as a leading city for the future."