Guri mayor calls safe, walkable streets top city priority

Guri conducted a "citizen road check" Wednesday, gathering public feedback on the ground as the city launched its ninth directly elected administration under Mayor Shin Dong-hwa.

The inspection focused on the Mangwu Circular Road Safe Pedestrian Path project, an initiative aimed at improving walking conditions and pedestrian safety along the popular Mangwu Circular Road.

Mayor Shin toured the Mangwu Circular Road area, visiting Jungnang Mangwu Space, Dongnak Pavilion, Palgak Pavilion and the tomb of Ji Seok-yeong in sequence. At each stop, he received briefings on the project's progress and reviewed detailed construction plans.

Shin first examined plans to expand historical and cultural facilities around Mangwusan. Officials from Jungnang-gu who attended the site visit asked the city to make Guri-administered land available for meaningful projects, including the reinterment of independence activist Yu Gwan-sun and the installation of a "comfort women" memorial statue.

In response, Shin said the city would actively pursue pedestrian path connectivity and cooperative development across administrative boundaries, and directed relevant departments to swiftly review the administrative support needed.

After personally inspecting walking conditions along sections of the Mangwu Circular Road, including Dongnak Pavilion and Palgak Pavilion, Shin called for a walkway that anyone could use comfortably while minimizing damage to the natural environment. He particularly ordered that measures be prepared in advance for hazardous stretches — steep inclines and narrow sections — to ensure the project proceeds without gaps.

Wrapping up the inspection at the tomb of Ji Seok-yeong, the planned site of a new rest area, Shin directed officials to "create enough pleasant rest areas so that residents can stop and relax comfortably at any time during a walk."

"Securing a safe and pleasant walking environment is the city's top priority for protecting residents' everyday happiness," Shin said. "We will faithfully incorporate into the design the safety vulnerabilities and rest area expansion measures identified on-site today, and quickly build a walking path that everyone can enjoy with confidence."

He added that the city would continue to "build a Guri where citizens are the mayor — listening to residents in the field and reflecting their voices in city administration."

Meanwhile, Guri plans to sustain its field-centered approach to governance, strengthening communication with residents and expanding services closely tied to daily life.