Kimhae Mayor Jung Young-do's first report card after 100 days in office shows a mix of successes and challenges. The 54.5 billion won livelihood support fund for all citizens has been implemented as promised, but long-standing local issues remain unresolved.
On October 6, Mayor Jung held a meeting with reporters at Kimhae City Hall to reflect on his first 100 days and outline his administration's direction for the coming year.
Identifying 'results' and 'livelihood' as key themes for his administration, Mayor Jung stated, "I will demonstrate the administration's effectiveness through tangible results that meet citizens' expectations and improve their lives." With 'results' as a benchmark, he is expected to be evaluated based on specific numbers and outcomes in the future.
The most notable progress in the past 100 days has been the livelihood support fund. Shortly after taking office on July 1, Mayor Jung signed the ordinance for the support fund as his first official act, demonstrating his strong commitment.
Through the first supplementary budget, 54.5 billion won was allocated, and since September 17, all residents registered in Kimhae, including marriage immigrants and permanent residents, have been receiving 100,000 won each.
This 54.5 billion won is a significant amount considering Kimhae's financial scale, surpassing the approximately 53 billion won the city spent last year to cover losses from the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail. The city expects this measure to boost sales in local businesses, although specific economic impact metrics have yet to be released.
In contrast, progress on pressing local issues remains stagnant. A prime example is the Jangyu Passenger Terminal, which has been left unfinished for over two years.
Initially, Mayor Jung promised during his campaign to open the terminal before Chuseok, raising hopes for early normalization. However, plans for a trial opening with some routes were ultimately scrapped due to failed last-minute negotiations with transportation companies. The companies cited increased costs from extended operating hours and safety concerns regarding access roads, demanding financial support from the city.
The city has also determined that the current terminal size cannot accommodate the 110 daily routes, leading to a reconsideration of structural improvements, including a public operation model through donations. However, the timeline for opening or a specific roadmap for normalization was not included in the 100-day report.
Major projects considered structural challenges have yet to find clear solutions. The city continues to advocate for 'government funding' to address the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail's accumulated deficit exceeding 500 billion won, but no updates on negotiations have been disclosed.
Additionally, the East Gyeongnam Kimhae Public Medical Center, which scrapped plans for a donation-based construction in the previous administration, has only indicated a direction for 'prompt acquisition of alternative sites' without finalizing a location even after 100 days in office.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the financial management approach. While Mayor Jung has proposed 'cost reduction, verification, reinvestment' as the direction for the coming year, the tasks presented include significant new expenditures such as issuing 200 billion won in Kimhae Love gift certificates, expanding 365-day child care services, and introducing climate insurance.
However, there is no clear plan on how to cut unnecessary budgets, making the upcoming December budget review a critical test for the new administration's financial strategy.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jung emphasized two key themes for the ninth term of Kimhae's administration: 'results' and 'livelihood.' He stated, "The administration must prove itself through tangible results that meet citizens' expectations and significantly change their lives. Based on the foundation built over the past 100 days, I will work towards creating an administration that delivers results and a city with strong livelihoods."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.