Han Dae-hee, the mayor of Gunpo, South Korea, is gaining attention for his achievements in energy transition and citizen-focused climate change response policies utilizing existing urban infrastructure.
On the day of the award ceremony held at BEXCO in Busan, Mayor Han received the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award in the climate change (energy transition) category at the '2026 Korea Urban Awards.'
This recognition acknowledges Mayor Han's efforts to produce renewable energy using existing urban facilities and implement policies that address extreme weather conditions such as heatwaves and cold snaps.
Mayor Han has installed solar power facilities with a total capacity of 1,329 kW at existing road structures, including the Dae-ya Underpass and Samsung Underpass, generating approximately 1,490 MWh of renewable energy annually.
During the project, he secured 8.6 billion won in external funding through private investments and provincial government initiatives.
Mayor Han explained that by utilizing existing infrastructure, he has reduced financial burdens while expanding the production base for renewable energy.
He is also implementing citizen-focused policies to respond to extreme weather.
Initiatives such as 'Gunpo Ice' for heatwave response and 'Gunpo Hot' for cold snap response are being operated to closely address climate change impacts on citizens' daily lives.
Citizen A stated, "As summer heatwaves and winter cold snaps feel more severe than before, I hope there will be more policies that provide immediate assistance in our local areas."
Another citizen, B, expressed, "I view positively the production of solar energy using existing facilities and the implementation of climate response projects that meet citizens' needs. I hope to see more initiatives that allow citizens to feel real change."
Mayor Han Dae-hee emphasized, "This award is a recognition of our efforts to actively respond to climate change by utilizing the various resources and infrastructure of Gunpo. We will continue to implement policies that citizens can feel in terms of climate change response and sustainable urban development."
Meanwhile, Mayor Han plans to continuously expand energy transition and climate response policies that directly impact citizens' lives by leveraging existing urban facilities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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