Gangwon Province marks Residents' Day in Gangneung as June 3 local elections reshape regional mood

"Just living in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is a source of pride."

The political, economic, social and cultural mood across Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has shifted sharply in the wake of the June 3 local elections. A new era has arrived in which civil servants — literally "servants of the public" — are mindful of the power residents hold. Against that backdrop, the province's Residents' Day celebration is drawing considerable attention, with residents taking pride in having driven the change themselves. Electoral upheavals throughout history, at home and abroad, have consistently pushed nations and regions forward.

More than 800 leaders representing the people of Gangwon Province will gather Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at Gangneung City Hall's main auditorium for the Residents' Day celebration, reaffirming the province's potential and pledging to deepen their commitment to its development.

Attendees include residents, heads of institutions and organizations from the province's 18 cities and counties, provincial-level organization leaders, several winners from the June 3 local elections, incumbent mayors and county chiefs, the administrative vice governor and National Assembly lawmakers — listed in order from the residents who own the province to the civil servants who serve them.

Woo Sang-ho, governor-elect of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, is also expected to attend and join in marking the occasion with a call for unity and progress in the province's future.

The program features a unity performance titled "Opening a New Era of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Together with Residents," a celebratory concert by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Provincial Gugak Orchestra, and a communal singing of the Gangwon Province anthem.

Among the recipients of the Outstanding Resident Award, Kim Man-su of Wonju takes the volunteer service prize for more than 1,600 free meal sessions for elderly residents and 980 dosirak deliveries to vulnerable households over 17 years of sustained community work.

In the sharing category, Kim Hye-suk of Pyeongchang-gun is recognized for two decades of service as a supporting board member of the Pyeongchang Welfare Center for the Disabled, including kimchi-sharing events that have supported more than 800 vulnerable households.

In the family care category, Kim Gil-su of Hongcheon-gun is honored for his exemplary filial care of his 93-year-old father.

In the hometown love category, Park Yeong-hwa of the Seoul-based Gangneung Citizens' Association is recognized for 26 years of disaster relief fundraising and contributions of more than 100 million won (about $65,700) in scholarships, including from his retirement funds, in support of his hometown's development.

Now in its third year, the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Residents' Day celebration has rotated among the province's cities — held in Chuncheon two years ago and Wonju last year before moving to Gangneung this year. With the mood having shifted more dramatically than a simple change of administration, organizers expect discussions about Gangwon's future to grow more lively than ever.