Yeongju Mayor Hwang Byeong-jik holds a press briefing Wednesday afternoon on the third floor of city hall to mark his first 100 days in office. [Photo by Kim Byeong-jin]
Yeongju Mayor Hwang Byeong-jik holds a press briefing Wednesday afternoon on the third floor of city hall to mark his first 100 days in office. [Photo by Kim Byeong-jin]

Yeongju Mayor Hwang Byeong-jik said Wednesday that he would focus the city's energy on attracting corporate investment, nurturing emerging industries and strengthening the competitiveness of agriculture and tourism as he marked 100 days in office.

Hwang held a press briefing Wednesday afternoon on the third floor of Yeongju City Hall, outlining the direction of his administration under the ninth round of direct local elections and updating reporters on key pending issues.

"One hundred days is a short time to change a city's future, but it is by no means a short time to change how a city works," Hwang said. "We will establish an administration that looks for ways to make things happen rather than reasons they cannot, and sees every initiative through to results."

He said the city introduced a three-tier civil complaint review system in July, under which unresolved or recurring complaints are re-examined in stages through inter-departmental consultation and additional review. The city hall parking lot is also being reorganized to give priority to visitors with complaints, he added.

On the local economy, Hwang said the city was pursuing new investment while also supporting the growth of existing businesses. He said officials had visited major companies — including SK Specialty, KT&G, Novelis Korea and Bearing Art — to hear their concerns and assess infrastructure needs such as power, water and road access.

Hwang also said he intended to develop the Yeongju Advanced Bearing National Industrial Complex into an industrial hub that drives corporate move-ins and job creation.

In the emerging industries sector, he said the city launched a feasibility study and basic planning service in September for an advanced drone defense and military facility project using Yeongju's emergency airstrip. In agriculture, he said the city was pursuing a service robot demonstration project worth 705 million won ($526,000) to assess whether automation could ease labor shortages and reduce the physical burden on fruit farmers.

On culture and tourism, Hwang said the city was working to attract a North Gyeongsang Province branch of the National Gugak Center to Yeongju. He said officials had presented the case for the branch and highlighted the region's cultural foundations at a National Assembly policy seminar on Sept. 30, and that the city planned to begin consultations with relevant agencies and lay the groundwork for a formal bid.

The city also revamped its festival programming. Hwang said the Siwon Night Festa expanded its overnight stay offerings and participation-based programs, while the Punggi Ginseng Festival, held from Oct. 3 to Oct. 11, focused on strengthening ties between visitors and local businesses through hands-on experiences, food and performances.

Closing the briefing, Hwang said the measure of success going forward would not be how many projects were launched, but what had actually changed in residents' lives. "Drawing on our experience of finding new approaches and putting them into action, we will resolve key issues and deliver changes that citizens can feel," he said.


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com