Pyeongtaek Wins Grand Prize in Gyeonggi Province Outstanding Public Conflict Management Cases

The case of "Conflict Resolution through the Neighbor Dispute Mediation Center" in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, has been selected as the grand prize winner in the Gyeonggi Province Outstanding Public Conflict Management Cases.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government received a total of eight case submissions from its 31 cities, counties, and public institutions last month, aiming to strengthen each institution's conflict response capabilities through shared learning. From July 29 to August 7, written evaluations were conducted based on the appropriateness of the cases, as well as the level of preparation, process, and outcomes in conflict resolution.

Pyeongtaek, which received the grand prize, partnered with the privately commissioned Pyeongtaek YMCA to operate the Neighbor Dispute Mediation Center. The city was highly praised for building a resident-participatory conflict management system, providing over 350 consultations and mediating over 150 cases every year.

The center visited sites where conflicts arose among residents, such as noise between floors, parking, and smoking, and facilitated reconciliation and mediation between the involved parties. It also strengthened communication among residents through the operation of neighborhood "Communication Rooms" and by providing cultural education on consideration using puppet shows for children.

The top excellence award went to the "Integrated Operation of Gyeonggi Province's Special Transportation Vehicle Dispatch Achieved through Communication and Innovation," submitted by Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation. To address users’ dissatisfaction and inter-agency conflicts—stemming from delays in dispatching call taxis for people with disabilities and call center overload—the corporation unified the operational standards across all 31 cities and counties, thus improving the management system.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

The excellence award was given to Gwacheon, recognized for the case "Resolving Illegal Street Vending through Ongoing Communication and Institutional Arrangement." In order to address the street vendor issue at the Underpass Market, which spanned over 40 years, the city officials met individually with each vendor, held ongoing discussions, and succeeded in encouraging voluntary departures. The remaining eight stalls were removed peacefully without physical confrontation, restoring the pedestrian environment.

The encouragement award was selected for Yongin, acknowledged for the case "Health Center Operation Policy Decided through Communication." Following a petition signed by 1,295 residents regarding the closure or integration of health clinics, Yongin conducted a conflict impact analysis and ultimately decided to maintain the current resident health clinic system at all seven clinics.

Kim Sangpal, Director of Autonomous Administration at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, stated, "In the management of public conflict, it is important to find solutions through sufficient communication and mediation among stakeholders. The four selected organizations will receive a citation from the governor, and we plan to disseminate these outstanding conflict management experiences across the entire province."

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