Kang Gi-jung Requests Support for '1229 Maeum Center' from Acting Official Choi Sang-mok

After Visiting Muan Airport, Government Pays Tribute at Gwangju Joint Memorial Altar
City Explains Center Establishment Plans... Requests National Funding for Stable Operation
Acting President Choi Says, "Thank You to Gwangju for Taking the Initiative"

On the afternoon of the 18th, Gwangju City requested Acting Mayor Choi Sangmok at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu for national funding support and the enactment of a special law to establish the "1229 Mind Center (tentative name)," a self-help space for the bereaved families of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster victims and social disaster victims. Photo by Gwangju City

Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijung has proposed to the government the allocation of national funds and the enactment of a special law for the establishment of the "1229 Mind Center" (tentative name), a self-help space for the bereaved families of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster victims and other social disaster victims. The idea is for not only the bereaved families but also citizens who empathize with the pain of social disasters to regularly gather at the "1229 Mind Center" to share and heal their pain together.

On the afternoon of the 18th, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijung, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sangmok, who is also the Minister of Economy and Finance, and other government representatives visited the joint memorial altar for the victims of the "12.29 Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster" set up at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju, to pay tribute to the victims.

After attending the joint memorial ceremony for the victims of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster held at Muan International Airport, Acting President Choi and the government delegation visited Gwangju, where the largest number of victims are from, and offered their condolences at the joint altar. Gwangju City was represented by Mayor Kang, Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Ko Gwangwan, and other department heads.

Following their visit to the joint altar, the delegation toured Jeonil Building 245, the temporary planned site for the "1229 Mind Center," and received a briefing on Gwangju City's plans for the center. They also recognized the significance and role of Jeonil Building 245 as a symbolic space for the May 18 Democratization Movement.

At the meeting, Mayor Kang requested national funding and other support for the establishment and stable operation of the "1229 Mind Center." Mayor Kang explained, "As the first step in psychological healing, we will operate the '1229 Mind Center' in Jeonil Building 245, and later plan to construct a dedicated center based on a special law. The location and other details will be decided with the wishes of the bereaved families as the top priority."

After hearing Gwangju City's plans, Acting President Choi stated, "Thank you to Gwangju City for taking the initiative in supporting the psychological healing and daily recovery of the bereaved families."

The city plans to promote the "1229 Mind Center" (tentative name) in two phases, based on consultation with the bereaved families. The first phase will establish a self-help and daily recovery support space for the bereaved families and citizens on the fourth floor of Jeonil Building 245, offering ▲community recovery programs ▲integrated service support ▲healing programs for the general public. In the second phase, the city plans to construct the "1229 Mind Center" as a comprehensive platform capable of providing integrated psychological support for disaster victims.

Meanwhile, on the 13th, Mayor Kang visited the National Assembly and met with Kwon Youngjin, chairman of the Special Committee on the Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster (People Power Party), and Shin Jeonghun, chairman of the Public Administration and Security Committee (Democratic Party of Korea), to request the enactment of a "Special Act on Support for Victims of the Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster." This act would include economic and medical support for the daily recovery of bereaved families, the creation of self-help spaces for the psychological stability and healing of disaster victims, and support for the recovery of the local economy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.