Shinan County Governor Kim Tae-seong Marks 100 Days in Office, Strengthens Communication Through “On-Site Administration”

More than 700 resident opinions gathered through town halls, extending beyond the county office
Everyday complaints addressed promptly; budget-requiring projects to receive follow-up action

Kim Tae-seong, governor of Shinan County in Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, is broadening opportunities for communication with residents as his ninth elected administration marks its 100th day. He is shifting from a county-government-centered approach to on-site administration, visiting townships, townships and villages, and small islands in person.

On October 7, the county held a resident-participation policy forum on “Childcare Supported by the People of Shinan County” in the county office’s main conference room. About 200 people attended, including policy advisers, residents, and relevant public officials.

Kim Taeseong, governor of Shinan County, responds to residents at a policy forum on the 7th. Photo provided by Shinan County.

On October 8, the 100th day of the ninth elected administration, he is scheduled to visit Haui-myeon for a “traveling town hall meeting” and discuss local issues directly with residents.

Since Governor Kim took office, the biggest change in Shinan County’s approach to communication has been a shift from “residents coming to the county office” to “the administration going to residents.”

The county determined that its regular weekly town hall meetings at the county office had a limitation: residents of the islands found it difficult to attend in person.

In response, the county revamped its communication system. It now holds a “resident-participation policy forum” every other week at the county office to discuss key policies in greater depth, while also holding “traveling town hall meetings” in townships, townships and villages, and small islands, which the county governor visits in person.

In particular, the county has focused on visiting residents where they live on small islands with relatively poor transportation access and listening to complaints and local issues that they had previously found difficult to bring to the administration’s attention.

Since the ninth elected administration began, about 700 opinions from residents have been received through town hall meetings and policy discussions.

In detail, the county received a total of 708 opinions and suggestions: 467 during on-site visits to 12 townships and townships and villages, 58 at meetings with residents of 10 small islands, 139 at the existing regular town hall meetings, and 44 at resident-participation policy forums.

The county is focused not merely on collecting residents’ opinions, but also on translating them into concrete administrative action.

It plans to address inconveniences closely related to daily life, such as water supply, sewage, and bus routes, as quickly as possible. For projects requiring funding, such as roads, maritime transport, and various infrastructure facilities, it will review their feasibility and possible solutions before including them in future budgets.

The county said that suggestions raised by residents, including disclosing compensation payments related to damage from renewable energy projects and increasing the number of school buses serving Anjwa High School, have been reflected in county administration. It said this shows that town hall meetings are serving as a channel for turning residents’ complaints into policy.

As his administration marks its 100th day, Kim Tae-seong plans to continue focusing the county’s administrative capacity on turning on-site communication into tangible results, including increased resident income and improved living conditions.

“More important than listening to residents’ voices is responding to them responsibly,” said Kim Tae-seong, governor of Shinan County. “I will further strengthen communication on the ground so that residents’ participation leads to real change and higher incomes, and those results help build a sustainable future for Shinan.”

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