Baek Gyeong-hyeon, Guri Mayor: "Will Create 'Pleasant Changes, Happier Guri City'"

[Suwon Ilbo=Um In-yong reporter] Guri Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyeon stated on the 2nd that he "will fulfill all roles in creating 'Pleasant Changes, Happier Guri City.'"

Mayor Baek held a 'third-anniversary press conference for the eighth elected term' at the Grand Hall of the Women's Happiness Center in Guri City on the morning of that day, presenting the achievements of municipal administration so far and the vision and policy directions for the next one year.

Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyeon reflected on his 1,097-day journey since taking office, saying, "These three years were spent recalling our promises to citizens," and "The time spent together with 190,000 citizens has been the greatest driving force for Guri City's development and citizens' happiness."

Third-term promise fulfillment rate of 71.1%, obtaining highest grade 'SA' rating for two consecutive years

Mayor Baek presented achievements over the three years of the eighth elected term: △Completion of 101 projects out of 142 commitments in 10 major fields (71.1% promise fulfillment rate) △Obtaining 'SA' rating for two consecutive years in 'National Basic Local Government Heads' Promise Fulfillment and Information Disclosure Evaluation' △Gyeonggi Province city and county comprehensive evaluation as excellent institution for 10 consecutive years △Selection as excellent local government for 6 consecutive years in regional welfare business evaluation supervised by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Major achievements and policy issues by six directions of municipal administration

Laying foundation for self-sufficient city

Guri City presented the development of Guri Toungpyeong 2 public housing district as a core project to complete the vision of a future city for the next 100 years, demonstrating its commitment to creating a specialized city with self-sufficient functions.

This project aims to create a mixed residential-employment city including not only public housing but also new growth industrial complexes and cultural and business complex spaces. It explained that it is also pursuing smart green city concept master plan and establishment studies together with Guri Urban Development Corporation.

Additionally, the city is proceeding with the creation of 'Guri E-Commerce New Growth High-Tech City' including Guri Techno Valley based on K-content, games, bio, and IoT in the Sanodong area. To this end, it aims to proceed with preliminary feasibility studies, development restriction area exemptions, and logistics district planning procedures to commence the project.

Establishing metropolitan transit infrastructure centered on people

Establishing metropolitan transit infrastructure was also presented as a priority task. Mayor Baek is making all-out efforts to expand railway transport facilities including △GTX-B stopping at Galmaei Station △Extension of Subway Line 6 △Extension of Light Rail Line Myeongmok △Establishment of new trams, and is also proceeding with △Underground through-road construction on Ganbyeon Northern Road △Establishment of new Galmaei IC △Expansion of metropolitan road from Taereung to Guri IC △Securing parking infrastructure.

In the long term, through railway transport expansion, in the medium and short term through introduction of public management system for city buses, support for low-floor bus purchases and operating costs, and operation of mobility support vehicles for transportation vulnerable groups, it is creating a safe and convenient transportation environment centered on people.

Economy city where small merchants regain vitality and is pleasant to live in

It is focusing on systematic development of small merchants who comprise 90% of Guri City's economic population and management stability, establishing a 9.3 billion won-scale local economic activation promotion plan to support traditional markets and back alley commerce, and has provided legal status to back alley commerce in five areas including Namyang Market to establish practical protection foundations. It also noted that it is making efforts in customized employment and startup support for different groups.

Inclusive welfare city overflowing with warmth of life

It explained that it is creating a city environment easy to raise children through strengthening safety nets for vulnerable groups and socially disadvantaged people, fostering a social atmosphere where national merit holders and elderly are respected, and implementing measures to address low birth rate issues.

In particular, having received age-friendly city certification from the World Health Organization, it stated that it is doing its best for the comfortable retirement of elderly residents aged 65 and above through free herpes zoster prevention vaccination, public transportation fee support, beauty care expenses support for those 75 and older, and birthday celebration allowance support. It also explained that to provide treatment befitting the dedication of national merit holders, it is providing Gyeonggi Province's top-ranking treatment of national merit holders through honorable pension increases and new establishment of Korean War participation hero allowance, and is creating an inclusive welfare city overflowing with warmth of life through distribution of happy housing and expansion of public and nighttime daycare centers.

Healthy happy city with culture

"Culture is the driving force of the region and the driving force that enriches life," the mayor said, noting that it has opened lifelong learning centers in Galmaei-dong and Suchtaek-dong to meet citizens' lifelong learning demands, and has established systems for citizens' individual competitiveness enhancement. It emphasized that it is improving citizens' quality of life through creation of barrier-free integrated playgrounds for children's non-discriminatory play, opening Bang Jeong-hwan Library continuing the educational philosophy of the late educator Bang Jeong-hwan, and establishment of Galmaei Multi-Sports Center and Geombae Sports Culture Center where all citizens can exercise comfortably.

Creating clean and stable sustainable eco-friendly city

It also revealed policies for an eco-friendly city. The Inchang Stream ecological stream restoration project is being pursued targeting construction commencement in September, and is promoting urban regeneration with specialized street renovation of the nearby Suridan-gil to coexist nature and local commerce, and is spreading citizen-participatory resource circulation culture by fostering resource circulation interpreters through systematic environmental education via the resource circulation education center.

Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyeon stated, "The 21 large-scale projects that are difficult to complete within the term—GTX-B line Galmaei Station stop, creation of E-commerce new growth high-tech city, and extension of Subway Line 6 to Guri City—will definitely make visible progress," adding, "With the remaining one year with the determination of '금석위개(金石爲開)' (pursuing goals with unwavering determination), I will overcome any difficulties with strong will and fulfill all roles in creating 'Pleasant Changes, Happier Guri City.'"