Wando County Concludes 'Dialogue with Residents'... Accelerating Communication and Innovation in County Administration

Completion of Tour of 12 Towns and Townships
County Governor Kim Shin Engages Residents Directly
More Than 200 On-Site Suggestions to Be Reflected in County Policies

Wando County in the Gwangju-Jeonnam Integrated Special City announced on September 22 that it had successfully concluded the "2026 Dialogue with Residents," which was held as a tour of 12 towns and townships within its jurisdiction, starting with Geumil-eup on September 7.

This event, held for the first time since the launch of the ninth elected administration, was organized to share the new direction and vision for county administration with residents and to gather direct feedback on local issues to be reflected in county policies.

Wando County concluded the '2026 Dialogue with Residents,' which toured through 12 towns and townships in the area, starting from Geumil-eup. Provided by Wando County

Notably, the event attracted attention by boldly departing from the rigid formats and protocols of the past and adopting a "town hall meeting" approach. County Governor Kim and the residents removed the podium, engaging in open, informal communication at eye level.

At the event, County Governor Kim highlighted "participatory self-government" as a key direction for the ninth administration, committing to significantly expand resident participation in major decision-making processes, including policy and budget matters. He pledged, "We will drive innovation and change in the region based on participation and communication, and operate the county administration more fairly and transparently than ever before."

During the tour of the 12 towns and townships, more than 200 suggestions for regional development were put forward by residents.

The main suggestions included: ▲early commencement of the Yaksan–Geumil connecting bridge and expansion of the transport network; ▲improvement of fishing infrastructure such as docks and shelters; ▲expansion of water supply and sewerage and provision of stable water resources; ▲expanding new licenses for seaweed farming and relocating seaweed license areas; ▲support for management stability for abalone fish farms; ▲expansion of job opportunities for seniors and welfare and sports facilities; and ▲addressing gaps in medical services—these issues were directly tied to residents' daily lives.

On-site, County Governor Kim personally responded to residents' questions with a microphone, while heads of relevant departments provided additional explanations on more detailed or specialized matters, resolving residents' queries in real time.

Among the more than 200 opinions collected through this dialogue, the county plans to swiftly take action on matters that can be implemented immediately. For matters requiring a large budget or long-term review involving coordination with related agencies, each department will analyze them closely and continue to manage them moving forward.

County Governor Kim stated, "I will thoroughly review each and every valuable opinion raised during the dialogue with residents and actively reflect them in county administration," adding, "We will continue our field-oriented, communicative administration without wavering, always listening attentively to even the smallest voices of the residents."

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