Mayor Minkyung Sun Unveils Blueprint for 'Great Goyang Transition'... Includes AI Hub, National Garden, and Institutional Innovation

Mayor Minkyung Sun Announces Implementation Plans for the "Great Goyang Transition" Pledge
Goyang Transition Preparation Committee Presents Pledge Implementation Strategies Through In-Depth Subcommittee Discussions
Fostering Advanced and Cultural Industries, Application for National Garden Connecting Bukhansan Mountain, Changneungcheon Stream, and Han River
Promoting Innovation in Affiliated Agencies, Proposal for Ordinance to Synchronize Terms of Mayor and Agency Heads

Minkyung Sun, Mayor of Goyang Special City, has unveiled the blueprint for the administration of the 9th popularly elected government. By refining the "Great Goyang Transition" pledge—which encompasses advanced industries, culture and tourism, administrative innovation, and the renovation of aging urban areas—into concrete action plans, he has signaled the start of a full-scale municipal drive.

Minkyung Sun, Mayor of Goyang Special City. Provided by Goyang City

The "Goyang Transition Preparation Committee," which is the transition team for the 9th term of Mayor Minkyung Sun, announced on July 10 its implementation plans for the pledges after about 20 days of review. Each subcommittee assessed the feasibility of the pledges and detailed their implementation strategies, with a focus on enhancing practicality by recommending the reconsideration of certain projects.

The area most emphasized by the committee is administrative innovation. The Planning and Administration Subcommittee proposed measures to strengthen communication with citizens, such as live-streaming executive meetings, relocating the mayor’s office to the first floor, fully opening community centers, and piloting the appointment of open-position neighborhood leaders.

Of particular note, the committee drew attention by proposing a complete reorganization of the six public institutions under the city to align with the 9th administration’s philosophy, and by recommending the enactment of an ordinance to synchronize the terms of the mayor and the heads of these affiliated agencies. The aim is to enhance administrative accountability and policy continuity.

Kim Dalsu, chair of the preparation committee, stated, "Agency heads must possess the capability and determination to realize the mayor's administrative philosophy together," adding, "To resolve administrative inefficiencies resulting from misaligned terms, we need to introduce a system that synchronizes the terms of agency heads with that of the mayor."

The plan also includes strategies to secure future growth engines for Goyang.

The Environment and Economy Subcommittee proposed the creation of a National Garden connecting Bukhansan Mountain, Changneungcheon Stream, and the Han River as a core project. The plan aims to address the chronic flooding of Changneungcheon and to pursue the designation of the first National Garden in the Seoul metropolitan area by linking it with the National Inland Fishery Port project on the Han River.

The Culture and Welfare Subcommittee presented measures to boost the competitiveness of the cultural industry by creating a “K-Culture Cluster” connecting Jeongbalsan, Lafesta, Lake Park, and K-Culture Valley, as well as a cultural tourism belt connecting Bukhansan Mountain, Haengjusanseong Fortress, and the Han River. Establishing an integrated Goyang-style care system and expanding job opportunities for the elderly were also highlighted as major tasks.

Strategies for fostering advanced industries have also been detailed. These include attracting 100 billion won in investments from local companies, expanding public institutions’ purchases of local products, revitalizing the MICE industry centered on KINTEX, building an aerospace industry ecosystem in connection with Korea Aerospace University, and establishing an autonomous driving industry ecosystem in partnership with Joongbu University.

The Special Subcommittee for Future Industry and Self-Reliant City identified attracting the United Nations (UN) AI Hub Center as a key initiative. It recommended that the mayor personally lead the task force and persuade the government and National Assembly. The committee assessed that political initiative is more important than administrative procedures in creating a hub city for AI proof-of-concept industries.

The second full meeting of the Goyang Grand Transition Preparation Committee. Provided by Goyang City.

Tasks to improve urban infrastructure were also included. The Construction and Transportation Subcommittee proposed measures to improve bottleneck sections at Ilsan IC and Janghang IC, as well as early commencement of construction for the K-Culture Valley. The Special Subcommittee for Renovation of Aging Urban Areas called for raising the standard floor area ratio for reconstruction and accelerating urban renewal projects in areas such as Wondang. The committee also recommended that construction of the new Goyang City Hall proceed as originally planned and as quickly as possible.

After staying until the end of the meeting, Mayor Minkyung Sun shared his official thoughts for the first time.

Mayor Sun said, "I was almost brought to tears while receiving the report," and expressed gratitude to the transition team members and advisors who had diligently reviewed the policies late into the night.

He continued, "I was once again moved by how even the pledges that were not fully refined during the election process were realistically supplemented," adding, "I will use the transition team's white paper as the compass for administration throughout my term and will fulfill promises to citizens one by one."

This announcement is significant in that it goes beyond a mere listing of pledges, presenting a clear direction for the 9th Goyang city administration. Whether Mayor Minkyung Sun’s vision to simultaneously promote AI and advanced industries, culture and tourism, urban regeneration, and administrative innovation can be realized as tangible outcomes will likely determine the success of the city’s future governance.

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