Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, is launching its ninth elected-term administration with a three-pronged agenda centered on economic innovation, residential improvement and spatial transformation.
Less than two weeks into the new term, the city has already secured nearly 1 trillion won ($672 million) in investment commitments, with further announcements from Samsung and LG Group fueling optimism about the local economy.
Mayor Kim Jang-ho held an inaugural press briefing Thursday morning in the main conference room on the third floor of City Hall, laying out his administration's policy priorities and key agenda items.
Kim said the eighth elected-term administration had ushered in an era of a 2 trillion won annual budget, secured 16 trillion won in investment and locked in six major national projects for the city.
He also reported that the previous term had successfully hosted regional events including the 2025 Gumi Asian Athletics Championships and a ramyun festival, while achieving gains across economic, cultural and residential quality-of-life indicators — among them a recovery in the number of births and the expansion of a local food initiative.
Building on that foundation, the ninth term will accelerate the development of advanced industries and the attraction of new investment.
The city plans to operate industry-specific task forces, pursue designation of specialized complexes for robotics, semiconductors and defense industries, and develop an AI-linked AX demonstration industrial complex to strengthen its competitiveness in future industries.
The administration will also focus on revitalizing the local economy. Plans include upgrading traditional market environments, creating startup spaces for youth, and injecting energy into neighborhood commercial districts through the public online food delivery platform "Meokggebi" and an expansion of local gift certificates.
On the residential front, the city will push forward with redevelopment of older urban areas and improvements to the urban environment. For spatial innovation, it plans to transform the former Bangnim site into a mixed-use complex where industrial history and advanced industries coexist, while also expanding regional transport links including a new airport rail line and expressway connections.
"The ninth elected term is a critical period that will determine Gumi's future," Kim said. "I will do my best to restore people's livelihoods and deliver change that citizens can feel, so that Gumi can once again rise to become a central city of South Korea." He added that the administration would pursue economic innovation, residential innovation and spatial innovation as its three pillars to open what he called "a new era of hope for Gumi."
kbj7653@heraldcorp.com
