Gwangju Mayor Park Kwan-yeol stated on October 7 that Gwangju should grow into a self-sufficient city rather than merely a transit area for water supply pipelines.
Mayor Park reiterated his demand for the government to establish cooperative measures that correspond to the local burdens faced by Gwangju in relation to the integrated water supply project for the Yongin semiconductor national industrial complex.
During the first meeting of the 'Yongin Semiconductor Industrial Complex Water Supply Regional Cooperation Committee,' organized by the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, relevant agencies shared the operational direction of the committee and discussed the cooperative measures proposed by Gwangju.
This meeting is significant as it marks the official launch of a cooperative body to discuss the measures Park has persistently called for, including a one-person protest in front of the Blue House since taking office.
Previously, while still a candidate, Park had urged for practical cooperative measures to address the burdens on Gwangju from the water supply project in front of Samsung Electronics' headquarters.
The core demands from Park include the establishment of a smart city with 30,000 housing units and the creation of a national industrial complex.
Park emphasized that since approximately 27 kilometers of the 47-kilometer water supply pipeline for the Yongin semiconductor complex passes through Gwangju, there is a need for national-level cooperative measures that not only support the strategic industry but also foster local housing, industry, and job growth.
He particularly noted, "Given that Gwangju has faced long-term restrictions on urban growth due to overlapping regulations, it is essential to improve regulations in areas with actual development demand and establish a self-sufficient urban foundation that combines housing and jobs."
The proposed 30,000-unit smart city aims to secure planned residential spaces while preventing haphazard development.
The creation of a national industrial complex is presented as a key policy to secure quality jobs in the region and reduce the outflow of young people.
Park views the current decline in the youth population, job shortages, and the concentration of development demand in specific areas due to various regulations as structural issues facing the region.
He explained that overlapping regulations on waterfront areas, agricultural promotion zones, and non-urban areas have made planned development in flatlands difficult, leading to scattered haphazard development of housing and warehouses.
As a result, Park proposed to the committee the establishment of a self-sufficient residential city linked to the creation of industrial complexes and public housing supply, along with the improvement of unreasonable overlapping regulations that hinder this development.
He also suggested support for local burdens arising from the construction of water supply pipelines, as well as cooperative measures for attracting advanced industries and companies, talent development, and job linkage.
Previously, during his one-person protest in front of the Blue House, Park had demanded the government address the need for 30,000 smart public housing units, a national industrial complex, the attraction of AI and semiconductor advanced companies, and the improvement of overlapping regulations.
During the meeting, differences in opinions among relevant agencies regarding Gwangju's regulatory improvement requests were also evident.
However, under the mediation of the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, it was agreed that each agency would further review Gwangju's proposals, allowing discussions to continue.
Meanwhile, Mayor Park Kwan-yeol stated, "With the establishment of an official communication channel as the first fruit of our cooperative measures demand, I will devote all efforts until we secure cooperative measures that correspond to the special sacrifices of Gwangju citizens."
He added, "I hope that the cooperation committee can move toward practical cooperation with the active support of relevant agencies."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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