Son Bae-chan presents balanced growth, self-sufficiency and happiness as guiding aims for elected term
Paju Mayor Son Bae-chan held a press conference Wednesday to mark 100 days in office under the ninth directly elected term, presenting three governing goals for the city: a balanced peace-and-growth city, a prosperous self-sufficient city, and a happy city for all. The event was held under the theme "100 days with citizens, Paju leaping forward through peace."
Speaking at the main conference room of Paju City Hall that afternoon, Son took the podium against a large banner reading "Peace, economy — through Paju," opening the event with a prepared statement.
In his opening remarks, Son described the first 100 days of the ninth term as "a time to lay the groundwork for change." He said he would confront the city's constraints and challenges head-on, adopting "listening and cooperative governance," "fairness and trust," and "pragmatism and results" as his governing principles — turning the limitations of a border peace city into possibilities and expanding opportunities for residents.
He also said he would work with humility to deliver responsible outcomes so that citizens could say they were glad to live in Paju, and asked for sharp feedback and constructive alternatives.
In the policy briefing that followed, Son acknowledged the ongoing burden on residents' livelihoods and the city's geographic constraints, and said he was committed to a fundamental transformation toward a future-oriented, self-sufficient city grounded in practical realism.
He highlighted key achievements from his first 100 days: field communication through the Hyeonmunhyeondap Project; administrative reform through the creation of a task force on core pending issues, efforts to dismantle a prostitution district, and the launch of a public deliberation forum; and economic development measures such as breaking ground on the Seohaeson Unjeong Station construction and applying for a peace economy special zone designation. Son said he had been preparing Paju's path to a self-sufficient city through peace and growth under the philosophy that "the answers are in the field."
The first goal — a balanced peace-and-growth city — encompasses transportation reforms including an extension of Subway Line 3 and adjustments to village bus routes connecting to GTX-A, as well as balanced development initiatives such as Unjeong Techno Valley, a medical cluster, a peace economy special zone and economic free zone, and a northward shift of the civilian access control line. Son also outlined livelihood policies covering youth culture promotion, expanded residential support and the issuance of a local currency.
The second goal — a prosperous self-sufficient city — covers education and childcare through expanded public libraries and safer school commute environments; culture and tourism through the Unjeong Arts Plus complex and a cultural tourism belt centered on Tongil Dongsan; and environmental and rural policy through water quality improvements at Unjeong Lake Park and Sorichen stream, and the development of a future agriculture innovation town.
The third goal — a happy city for all — includes safety measures such as a round-the-clock emergency medical system and expanded support for national merit recipients and their families; future AI policy through the construction of an AI-based disaster prevention system and efforts to attract AI industry to the peace economy special zone; and broader civic engagement through the use of long-idle sites and the construction of a volunteer center and a saemaul community hall.
"Just as I have done consistently throughout these 100 days in office, I will always stay closest to the citizens and lead everyday change to make their lives happier," Son said. "I will do my utmost to make each of Paju's 550,000 citizens happy today, and to build Paju into a land of new opportunities and possibilities — a city whose next generation can look forward to tomorrow."
pjh@heraldcorp.com
