Min Hyeong-bae, mayor of the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City, asked President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday to transfer operational control of the National Asia Culture Center to the special city.
Min shared details of his conversation with the president in a Facebook post that day, titled "The President's Sincerity I: I Will Repay All the Debt That Korean Democracy Owes."
Min attended the Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae that day, and as the session was drawing to a close, he asked for a chance to speak, noting he had traveled a long way. President Lee replied that the topic would need to be suitable for the Cabinet agenda.
Lee then invited Min to lunch, and Prime Minister Han Seong-sook also joined the conversation.
Turning to the National Asia Culture Center, Lee said, "This cannot end with just putting up a building. The entire city must rise as a city of culture."
Min urged the president to hand over operational control of the center to the special city. "Let the state cover the costs and let the region handle the operations. Gwangju can do this well," he said.
Lee immediately ordered a review of the proposal. Min said he would formally report back after gathering input from citizens and experts.
Min said the president repeatedly reflected on how much hardship the Honam region had endured before declaring, "I will repay all the debt that Korean democracy owes." Min wrote that he was moved deeply, though he kept his emotions in check, adding: "There is a president who understands the sorrow of Jeolla and shares the dream of South Jeolla-Gwangju. In the 'Lee Jae Myung era,' we will make Gwangju — the Asia culture hub city — truly deliver."
sij@heraldcorp.com
