Pohang mayor calls for systematic pine wilt disease control at monthly staff meeting

Pohang City in North Gyeongsang Province held its October expanded senior staff meeting Monday at the city hall conference room, where officials discussed responses to key issues and department-level progress reports, including a briefing from the green space division on the city's pine wilt disease control efforts.

The meeting covered the causes behind the spread of pine wilt disease, the extent of damage by area and tailored control strategies.

In response, Mayor Park Yong-seon called for the swift removal of damaged and at-risk trees, along with the systematic, science-based implementation of species conversion and forest restoration plans.

The meeting also included a review of recently held local festivals. Park said upcoming large-scale festivals and signature events should be planned from the outset with differentiated content and operational strategies that highlight Pohang's distinct character and raise the overall quality of each event.

He particularly urged officials to develop measures that encourage tourists to spend at nearby businesses, so that festivals contribute to the local economy rather than simply providing entertainment. Park said event schedules, program lineups and audience participation formats should all be carefully reviewed to boost tourist satisfaction and benefit local small business owners, and called for any necessary improvements to be reflected quickly across the planning and operations of remaining large-scale festivals this year.

"Festivals should not be judged solely on how smoothly they run — we need to think about what real, tangible benefit they bring to residents and small business owners," Park said. "Please pay close attention to every stage from planning to execution, and push relevant agencies and contractors to make the improvements that are needed."