Government offices across Gangwon Province have replaced their facade slogans with new pledges ahead of the launch of the ninth round of directly elected local government.
Woo Sang-ho, who takes office as Gangwon Province governor on Wednesday, has adopted "Make Gangwon Special, Make Residents Happy" as the provincial slogan. The phrase is displayed at the provincial office and at city and county offices throughout the province.
Yanggu-gun, whose incoming county chief Kim Wang-gyu also takes office Wednesday, mounted the provincial slogan above its own: "A Future We Open Together, a Yanggu Worth Living In."
The slogans represent pledges by the incoming governor, mayors and county chiefs. Residents passing through government buildings will have a ready yardstick — praising officials who deliver or criticizing those who fall short.
Yanggu-gun developed its slogan through a public competition open to residents immediately after the election result was confirmed, ensuring the phrase reflects the direct wishes of the community.
However, the longstanding tagline "Come to Yanggu and Feel 10 Years Younger" was left untouched. Officials said the phrase is a metaphorical, literary expression of the county's ecological and geological qualities, unrelated to any political party or administrative agenda. Changing it, they added, would likely draw a backlash from residents who would see the move as a new administration staking out its territory.
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