Yecheon-gun mayor-elect launches development committee ahead of new term

Yecheon-gun Mayor-elect Ahn Byung-yun launched the "Yecheon Development Preparatory Committee" at the Korea Athletics Federation's Athletics Education and Training Center in Yecheon on Sunday, holding an inaugural ceremony and presenting appointment certificates to its members ahead of the start of the ninth directly elected county administration.

Kwon Young-su, a former senior political affairs deputy governor of Jeju Island, was named committee chair.

The 15-member committee draws on specialists in public administration, agriculture, cultural tourism, welfare and regional development.

Ahn has been receiving departmental briefings and reviewing key pending issues since June 9, the day after his election victory.

"We will pool the committee's expertise and on-the-ground experience to accurately identify the immediate challenges facing Yecheon and help chart a substantive policy direction that will serve as the foundation of county governance for the next four years," Kwon said.

Ahn called on the members to draw on their accumulated expertise to rigorously review the core campaign pledges that will drive Yecheon's future growth and to complete a realistic policy roadmap that residents can tangibly feel in their daily lives.

The committee plans to depart from the conventional transition committee model by placing greater emphasis on gathering opinions in the field. To that end, it will hold sector-specific forums and visit both the North Gyeongsang Province Office new town and the original downtown area to host community discussions.

Alongside this, any Yecheon resident will be able to submit suggestions for the county's development directly to the mayor-elect, either online or in person.

Residents who wish to participate can use the submission portal on the Yecheon-gun website or visit their local town or township administrative welfare center and fill out a suggestion form at the designated box.