Min Hyung-bae Requests President Lee to Transfer Management of Culture Center to Jeonnam Gwangju

Discussion Over Lunch with President and Prime Minister After Cabinet Meeting

Proposal: "Let the Local Government Operate the Culture Center"

President Lee: "The Entire City Should Become a Cultural City"

Min Hyung-bae, Mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, has requested President Lee Jae-myung to transfer the management rights of the National Asia Culture Center to Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City. President Lee reportedly instructed officials to review the matter.

According to a post revealed by Mayor Min on his Facebook page on the 22nd, he discussed the issue of operating the National Asia Culture Center with President Lee and Prime Minister Han Seong-sook over lunch after attending the Cabinet meeting at the Blue House the previous day.

During the meeting, President Lee stated, "Building just one culture center is not enough. The entire city should become a prominent cultural city." In response, Mayor Min suggested, "Please hand over management rights of the culture center to the Integrated Metropolitan City. The state can cover the costs, and the local government will take charge of operations. Gwangju is capable of doing it well."

Min Hyung-bae, Mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City, listens to President Lee Jae-myung's remarks at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Mayor Min said that President Lee immediately ordered a review and that he would gather opinions from citizens and experts to submit an official report.

On the same day, Mayor Min posted an article on Facebook titled "The President’s Sincerity I: We Will Repay the Debt of Korean Democracy in Full," detailing their conversation at the time.

He said that near the end of the Cabinet meeting, he requested, "It would be nice to give a speaking opportunity to those who have come from afar, like myself," to which President Lee replied, "If it is an agenda item suitable for the Cabinet meeting, that would be good."

Mayor Min also shared that President Lee repeatedly mentioned, "How much has Honam suffered?" and then said, "We will fully repay the debt owed by Korean democracy."

Mayor Min remarked, "There is a president who understands the sorrows of Jeolla and shares the dreams of Jeonnam Gwangju with us," adding, "As the hub of Asian culture, Jeonnam Gwangju will make a real effort during the Lee Jae-myung era."

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