Mureung Byeolyucheonji, a limestone quarry donated to Donghae by KGM after the completion of national construction work, has been transformed into a public tourism destination and is one of Gangwon Province's recommended travel spots for July during the "Visit Gangwon Year" campaign. Donghae, which is welcoming GS Group's massive investment, is signaling a sweeping transformation ahead.
Mureung Byeolyucheonji, a limestone quarry donated to Donghae by KGM after the completion of national construction work, has been transformed into a public tourism destination and is one of Gangwon Province's recommended travel spots for July during the "Visit Gangwon Year" campaign. Donghae, which is welcoming GS Group's massive investment, is signaling a sweeping transformation ahead.

Donghae, a regional hub in the southeastern corner of Gangwon Province, has set three core missions for its ninth elected-term administration: becoming a global maritime city, reaching a 1 trillion won ($653 million) annual budget, and guaranteeing emergency medical care within 30 minutes.

The city said it will pursue its administration around six visions: a growing maritime economy, trustworthy and accountable governance, a forward-looking future industry, vibrant tourism and culture, inclusive education and welfare, and a life-protecting safe city.

As the first reform-aligned mayor elected and inaugurated since the introduction of elected local government, the administration said it intends to pursue a forward-looking and progressive city administration unafraid of change.

Mayor Lee Jeong-hak said Tuesday, ahead of the second-half major work plan briefing, "The direction of the ninth elected term is to create change that citizens can feel."

Lee moved away from the conventional briefing format, shifting to a department-by-department in-depth discussion model focused on key issues and administrative priorities.

Donghae Mayor Lee Jeong-hak, the first reform-camp candidate to be elected and inaugurated since the introduction of elected local government.
Donghae Mayor Lee Jeong-hak, the first reform-camp candidate to be elected and inaugurated since the introduction of elected local government.

Donghae plans to secure new engines of local growth through GS Group's AI and data-based future industry investment — projected at between 30 trillion and 120 trillion won — along with efforts to attract additional investment, build a maritime industry ecosystem, and strengthen the city's capacity to secure central government funding. The city also plans to push administrative innovation that citizens can tangibly experience.

In addition, the city said it will strengthen communication-driven and accountable governance by seeking answers directly from citizens and on the ground, while boldly reforming outdated practices and formalities to shift toward a citizen-centered administration.

To realize its goal of guaranteeing emergency medical care within 30 minutes, the city plans to strengthen cooperation with local medical institutions and related agencies, and to develop linkage arrangements with neighboring municipalities to accelerate the building of a regional medical safety net.

The city's governing slogan for the ninth elected term is "A New Donghae — A Future We Open Together with Our Citizens."

"Field opinions and actionable plans matter more than one-way reporting," Lee said. "Let us focus on work for the future rather than the present, and on work for citizens rather than internal matters, and build together a ninth elected term that citizens can feel."


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