"A Stronger Jinju, A Happier Jinju": Mayor Joo Kyuil Outlines His Vision

Announcement of Future Growth Strategies Including Fostering the Space and Aerospace Industry and Station Area Development

Disclosure of Operational Plans for the 9th Term Aimed at Citizen Unity and Regional Development

Joo Kyuil, mayor of Jinju City, held a press conference for the 9th popularly elected term on the morning of the 11th at the briefing room of Jinju City Hall, announcing the direction of future city administration and major policy plans.

Mayor Joo, who ran as an independent candidate in the June 3 local elections and succeeded in being elected for a third term, expressed his thoughts on the election victory at the press conference, stating, "The result of this election is not a personal victory but a victory for all citizens of Jinju." He added, "The 9th popularly elected administration will pursue an integrated city administration and a citizen-centered approach."

Regarding the various suspicions and conflicts raised during the election process, Mayor Joo said, "I will correct any misinformation through legal procedures, but now that the election is over, I will focus on fostering citizen unity." He also stated, "I will actively review the excellent policies of my competitors and incorporate them into city administration."

[Photo by Soonyoung Choi] Mayor Kyu-il Cho of Jinju held a press conference for the election of the 9th term on the morning of the 11th at the briefing room of Jinju City Hall, announcing the future direction of city administration and key policy plans.

The main directions for the 9th term city administration include: advancing as a hub for the space and aerospace industry; strengthening win-win cooperation with Sacheon City; promoting the second phase of public institution relocations; attracting the integrated headquarters of power generation public enterprises; developing the area behind the station; developing the Jinju Passenger Car Terminal; and revitalizing the original downtown area.

In particular, Mayor Joo identified fostering the space and aerospace industry as the key task.

During the 8th term, Jinju City became the first basic local government in the country to launch an ultra-small satellite and attracted the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Rotary Wing Flight Center. In the 9th term, the city plans to operate a demonstration center for future aircraft, establish a future-type aircraft safety evaluation system, create an artificial intelligence (AI) platform, and build a test field for certification of core materials and parts for future mobility.

He also announced plans to strengthen cooperation with neighboring Sacheon City for the development of the space and aerospace industry and to work together to address common issues such as the construction of the bypass road for National Route 33 and the problems surrounding the regional waste incineration plant.

Regarding the second phase of public institution relocations, he expressed his intention to collaborate with Gyeongsangnam-do Province to attract public institutions currently located in the capital area and to jointly respond with Korea South-East Power Co., Ltd. and others to attract the integrated headquarters of power generation public enterprises to Jinju Innovation City.

In addition, he presented plans to prepare for the opening of the Southern Inland Railway by developing areas around the station, creating complex cultural and sports spaces, and developing the Jinju Passenger Car Terminal, aiming to foster Jinju as a key transportation and transfer hub in western Gyeongsangnam-do.

For revitalizing the original downtown area, he explained that the city would consider relocating some city hall functions, expanding public parking facilities, easing building regulations, and increasing cultural events and festivals to bring new vitality to the city center.

Meanwhile, Jinju City plans to hold a briefing session later this month to set priorities for its pledged projects and to categorize them into short-term, mid-term, and long-term tasks. Projects that can be implemented quickly will be included in the supplementary budget this September, while those requiring funding from the national or provincial government will be actively proposed to the central government and Gyeongsangnam-do Province.

Mayor Joo stated, "Jinju stands at an important turning point," and added, "Together with citizens, we will create a new leap forward for Jinju to grow as a hub for the space and aerospace industry, where young people return and businesses are drawn to the city."

Mayor Joo Kyuil identified fostering the space and aerospace industry, attracting public institutions, and revitalizing the original downtown area as the core tasks for the 9th term. In particular, his emphasis on win-win cooperation with Sacheon City and his expression of a commitment to the joint development of western Gyeongsangnam-do are noteworthy.

However, since the second phase of public institution relocations and attracting the headquarters of power generation public enterprises are tasks closely linked to central government policies, attention is focused on whether they will lead to tangible results.

Going forward, along with large-scale development projects, achieving visible results in job creation and revitalization of the regional economy that citizens can directly feel is expected to be the key to the success of the 9th term.

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