Deputy Mayor Byeongsoo Bae, Who Addressed Key Issues in His Hometown Andong, Heads to Pohang After Seven Months

Wildfire Recovery, Bio Life National Industrial Complex, and Municipal Coordination
Bae to Assume Post as Deputy Mayor of Pohang City on August 10

Byeongsoo Bae, the 35th Deputy Mayor of Andong City, will conclude his seven-month term and assume the position of Deputy Mayor of Pohang City on August 10.

Since taking office on January 1, Deputy Mayor Bae has assisted Mayor Ki Chang Kwon of Andong City, overseeing major issues directly linked to the region's future growth. These include the swift recovery of areas affected by wildfires, the development of the Andong Bio Life National Industrial Complex, and the expansion of the metropolitan transportation network.

Yongsoo Bae, the 35th Deputy Mayor of Andong City, steps down


Photo by Andong City

He also contributed his administrative expertise to projects aimed at strengthening Andong's urban brand and residential environment, such as enhancing cultural and tourism competitiveness and building a garden city.

Notably, upon his inauguration, he emphasized “listening,” “practicality,” and a “happy public service culture” as key administrative values, focusing on integrating field insights and citizen voices into policymaking.

In the process of advancing key initiatives, he broke down barriers between departments and reinforced collaboration and coordination. He also practiced field-oriented administration by visiting sites with pending issues to check on business progress and identify challenges directly.

Bae utilized his longstanding expertise and administrative experience in the urban and construction sectors to shape Andong’s foundations for future growth.

In particular, he closely monitored issues related to national industrial complexes and metropolitan transportation networks—major infrastructure projects essential to the region’s substantive growth. He supported cooperation with central government agencies and Gyeongsangbuk-do authorities on these matters.

A native of Andong, Deputy Mayor Bae graduated from Gyeongan High School and the Department of Civil Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University. He started his career in public service in 1998 as a civil engineering official after passing the local civil service exam. He later held key positions such as director of the Nakdong River Project Promotion Team, director of rural development, director of balanced development, director of disaster management, and director of roads, railways, and airports in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

He has accumulated broad experience in regional development administration—including urban development, roads and transportation, and industrial infrastructure—through roles as Deputy Governor of Goryeong County, Deputy Mayor of Gumi City, and Director-General of Urban Construction at Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government.

Deputy Mayor Bae said, “It was a deeply meaningful and proud experience to work for the development of my hometown, Andong, alongside the citizens and public officials,” and added, “I was able to address multiple issues thanks to the dedication of public officials led by Mayor Ki Chang Kwon and the support of the citizens.”

He continued, “Even though I am leaving for a new post, my heart will always remain in my hometown, Andong. I will continue to support Andong's growth as the central city of Gyeongsangbuk-do and hope for greater prosperity for its citizens, even from afar.”

Deputy Mayor Bae will officially assume his new role as Deputy Mayor of Pohang City on August 10. Although his tenure in Andong was relatively short—about seven months—it coincided with urgent tasks such as wildfire recovery, as well as critical long-term issues like the Bio Life National Industrial Complex and the metropolitan transportation network.

The effectiveness of public administration is often evaluated not by the length of service but by how issues are connected and handed over to the next phase.

The challenges Deputy Mayor Bae faced in Andong ranged from post-disaster recovery to laying the groundwork for future industries—encompassing both the city’s present and future.

As he moves from Andong, where he gained experience in fieldwork and coordination, to Pohang—the largest industrial city in Gyeongsangbuk-do—attention is turning to how his accumulated administrative expertise in these two cities will contribute to more balanced regional development and greater inter-regional cooperation across the province.

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