Gimpo Mayor Lee Ki-hyung holds his first press briefing of the elected 9th term on Monday. [Gimpo City]
Gimpo Mayor Lee Ki-hyung holds his first press briefing of the elected 9th term on Monday. [Gimpo City]

Gimpo Mayor Lee Ki-hyung has put citizen-centered policy at the heart of his 9th-term administration, saying "citizens' sense of pride is the city's competitive edge."

Lee held his first press briefing of the elected 9th term on Monday, unveiling a governing agenda of "5 leaps and 97 campaign pledges."

He said the city would steer clear of showy projects and put residents' everyday convenience first in carrying out its pledges.

He added that the city would set quarterly implementation targets for each pledge and publish progress reports and fulfillment rates on the city website, while making budget expenditures easy for residents to verify through transparent disclosure.

On transportation, Lee said the city would push to include in the national rail network plan an extension of Seoul Subway Line 5, an extension of Incheon Metro Line 2 from Gimpo to Goyang, and a direct GTX-D link between Gimpo and Gangnam.

Eliminating tolls on the Ilsan Bridge and extending the Gimpo Gold Line from Hakun to Geomdan were also listed as priorities. The city also plans to expand demand-responsive bus services and strengthen commuting support for residents in transit-underserved areas.

In education, the city will introduce a children's financial independence fund and expand school bus and transportation subsidies.

It also plans to create a new Route 36A serving Modam Elementary and Middle School and Pureunsol Elementary and Middle School, and will consult with education authorities on building new schools and introducing modular classrooms to address overcrowded classes and school-district issues.

On the economy, Lee said the city would pursue a special peace economic zone and build a marine leisure education center at Gochon Ara Marina.

The city will expand support for smart factories and technology startups, and strengthen ties between local businesses and young workers — including an employment incentive grant of up to 3 million won ($2,110) for youth. Benefits for recharging Gimpo Pay, a local digital currency, will also be expanded 2.5 times.

In culture, the city plans to develop La Veniche into a flagship tourism and cultural destination, supporting regular performances and revitalizing the local commercial district.

Plans also include creating a civic plaza at Geolpo Bukbyeon Station, reopening the Eco Center, building a culture and arts center, and constructing the Gimpo Bondong Eoullim Center, the Tongjin Yeoul Complex Cultural Exchange Center and the Janggi Geumbit Sports Center.

On welfare, the city will pursue the development of an Inha University medical campus in the transit-oriented area near Pungmu Station, establish a 24-hour pediatric medical system, and offer free HPV 9-valent vaccine shots to all residents.

It will also revive plans to build a second integrated social welfare center and a youth complex cultural center, and strengthen everyday welfare through expanded childbirth support grants and the construction of a public bathhouse.

"I will make citizens proud to live in Gimpo — through seamless transportation, a vibrant economy, culture and arts as part of daily life, and attentive care," Lee said. "I will prove, through results, that I keep my promises to the people."


gilbert@heraldcorp.com