New Year's Message Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Suwon Special Status City
Esteemed citizens of Suwon Special Status City numbering 1.25 million, and families of public officials.
The year 2024, the Year of the Blue Dragon, has dawned.
Since ancient times, the blue dragon has symbolized 'good fortune,' 'success,' and 'prosperity.'
I earnestly hope the powerful energy of the blue dragon dwells in the daily lives of all.
Today I opened the doors of City Hall with a renewed spirit.
In the early morning, I rode a crowded bus and met with citizens.
On the faces of citizens setting out on their first commute of the new year, relentless fatigue was evident.
I reaffirmed in my heart that the honest labor of each individual person sustains Suwon.
Thanks to citizens for bringing their hearts together, Suwon Special Status City was able to achieve meaningful results over the past year.
We took a full-fledged first step in implementing the policies and projects of the eighth elected term.
We recently secured the recruitment of five companies including BioNote, and 250 billion won has been raised for the 'Suwon Enterprise Saebbit Fund,' which will serve as a lever for corporate growth.
We opened the 'Saebbit Civil Complaint Center,' a citizen grievance resolution office, and 'Saebbit Talk Talk,' a direct democracy platform, and launched pilot programs for 'Suwon Saebbit Care.'
The Ilwol and Yeonghung Arboretum established themselves as ecological landmarks in the city upon their opening, and we successfully held various festivals together with citizens including the 60th 'Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival' and the 10th anniversary 'Eco-Mobility Suwon New Festa,' as well as major international events such as the 'Asia-Pacific Cities Forum.'
These are precious experiences that came closer to the vision of 'Renewing Suwon, Shining Citizens,' and valuable fruits cultivated together by both citizens and public officials.
I express my sincere gratitude.
In the new year, the conditions surrounding us remain challenging.
Ongoing conflicts and unstable domestic and international situations, and what is called the 'triple high crisis'—high interest rates, high inflation, and high exchange rates—have exhausted many citizens. The administrative finances are also not abundant.
However, the more difficult times are, the more we must look to the future.
As the saying 'converting worry into benefit' (以患爲利) suggests, Suwon City and all civil servants will create new innovation through a shift in thinking that turns crisis into opportunity.
If 2023 was a year for laying the foundation of the eighth elected term and launching new policies, 2024 in Suwon Special Status City will bring about 'better changes in citizens' lives.'
First, we will achieve economic growth that citizens can tangibly feel.
In 2024, the 'Suwon Enterprise Saebbit Fund' will scale up threefold.
By last year, 258.8 billion won was raised from five funds. This reached 2.5 times the target.
Additionally, over 300 billion won is expected to be raised this year.
Funds have been formed of 73 billion won for 'materials, parts, and equipment,' 33.8 billion won for 'bio,' 60 billion won for 'fourth industrial revolution,' and 42 billion won for 'reinvigoration,' and fund formation for 'early-stage startups' of 50 billion won is expected to be completed this month.
We will create opportunities for excellent startups, venture companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises with strong technological capabilities to grow, and ensure that more than 500 billion won is invested in Suwon enterprises.
On this basis, job creation of over 2,000 will also be possible.
300 billion won will be invested in the 'Suwon Small and Medium Business Mutual Support Project.'
To lower the loan burden on small and medium enterprises facing difficulties due to high interest rates and economic slowdown, Suwon City, banks, and three guarantee institutions have joined forces.
By providing loans of up to 500 million won per company at low interest rates and guarantee fees, we will reduce interest burden to just one-third of general credit loans.
3,000 Suwon citizens will be hired at the complex cultural space 'Starfield.'
Along with job creation, this will bring new commercial and cultural innovation and economic vitality to Suwon, including the demand from 5 million people in neighboring cities.
Given the high citizen interest, we will operate an on-site traffic management headquarters to minimize citizen inconvenience from traffic congestion.
Attracting businesses and attracting investments are the top policy of the eighth elected term.
To date, we have concluded business recruitment agreements with five companies: 'SDI Biosensor,' 'Focus H&S;,' 'Integris,' 'Woozu Electronics,' and 'BioNote.'
We will ensure that leading companies in the fourth industrial revolution field establish deeper roots in Suwon.
We will create a 'virtuous business ecosystem' where regions and enterprises grow together, and attract talent to quality jobs.
Second, we will revitalize the alley economy through the 'Three Major Alley New Deal.'
If 'local economy' is the locomotive driving Suwon Special Status City, then 'alley economy' is the pillar supporting citizens' lives.
From January, 'Suwon Saebbit Care' will expand to all 44 districts.
Every Suwon citizen can enjoy 'Suwon Saebbit Care.'
'Saebbit Care' is responsible for household chores such as cleaning, accompanying citizens to hospitals, marts, and public facilities, psychological counseling, and even pet protection.
Community centers will take the lead in reaching out to neighbors falling through care gaps.
Upon request, 'care planners' will immediately visit homes to provide integrated welfare services.
For households in the bottom 75% of median income, we will provide annual care support of 1 million won, and households above that threshold can also use the service at a set cost.
As care expands, the care industry grows and care jobs are created.
The 'Saebbit House' home repair project will be pushed ahead urgently.
Low-rise villas and multi-family housing that have deteriorated for over 20 years—how inconvenient it has been to live in these.
Suwon City began a home repair project for low-rise residential areas last year.
We have replaced leaking and moldy roofs, window frames letting in cold wind, and creaky front gates.
Citizens' living environments will become warmer, and alley businesses will have new work opportunities.
We will push forward with a goal of 500 homes annually, totaling 2,000 or more homes over four years.
Communities are revived through palm-sized gardens, and vitality returns to alleys.
"As people gather, neighborhood markets open and neighborhoods become vibrant."
These are the words of a citizen managing a 'palm-sized garden' in Haengung-dong.
Previously useless spaces are being filled into special gardens.
Over the past year, 300 palm-sized gardens have been established by citizens across urban spaces—vacant lots, unused land, and gaps between buildings.
Residents are taking the lead, and companies and organizations are also lending their support.
Communication and solidarity expand, and with improved environments, commercial activity is also revitalized.
As many gardens are created, communities and local economies will be revived.
Through the alley new deal project, we will actively foster village enterprises and realize greater positive values through the expansion of social economy and fair trade, enabling Suwon Special Status City to be reborn as a true economic special city.
'Everyone's 1-Minute City' is beginning.
'Everyone's 1-Minute City' is a 'smart urban village' that combines living SOC and jobs.
Living SOC such as palm-sized gardens, rest and exercise facilities, cultural spaces, and PM parking stands will be created in alleys in front of homes, and 'Suwon Saebbit Care' and 'Saebbit House' home repair services will be provided.
New jobs will be created by related village enterprises and social enterprises.
'Everyone's 1-Minute City' will become a symbol of Suwon's alley new deal.
Third, urban innovation will open a new Suwon.
At the end of last year, there were two pieces of news like timely rain leading urban innovation.
Development restrictions that had long been imposed on areas around Suwon Hwaseong are easing.
Regulations on areas around Suwon Hwaseong, which had been tied up as historic and cultural environmental preservation areas for 15 years, have been relaxed.
Development is now possible between 200 and 500 meters outside the castle wall boundary, and buildings can be raised by approximately one story within 200 meters.
Citizens can now exercise legitimate property rights through redevelopment and reconstruction.
We will present a harmonious solution balancing the value of a world cultural heritage and citizens' property rights.
The other is opening the floodgate to long-awaited projects in the west Suwon region.
The 'Suwon R&D; Science Park' development project, which had been marking time for 10 years, is now on track with a business agreement with Sungkyunkwan University.
The science park, which will be born as a research-intensive facility for energy, bio, semiconductors, and more, together with the 'Tapdong Innovation Valley' scheduled for completion in 2026, will invigorate the local economy, secure future sources of livelihood for Suwon, and lead balanced growth in Suwon.
Just as we have been steadily resolving citizens' long-cherished projects,
we will push forward without delay not only the improvement project for aged waste-to-energy facilities,
but also the relocation of waste-to-energy facilities confirmed through citizen deliberation.
Suwon, a transportation hub connecting all directions, will expand further with the metropolitan rail network.
The 'Shinbundang Line' connecting Gwanggyo to Homae-sil, the 'Dongtan-Indeokwon Line' departing from Dongtan and connecting Yeongdong Station and North Suwon, and the 'GTX-C' metropolitan express rail line will be completed in 2028.
The 'Dongtan Urban Railway' to be extended to Mangpo Station is scheduled to open in 2027.
Additionally, KTX departing from Suwon Station is being accelerated to add Honam Line routes in addition to the Gyeongbu Line, enabling 18 daily trains from 2025 onwards.
We will also expedite Seoul Line 3 extension in collaboration with neighboring cities.
The construction of Gyeonggi International Airport will transform Suwon's paradigm.
Citizens' long-cherished wish for 'military airport relocation' can no longer be delayed.
The 'Gyeonggi International Airport Construction' and 'West Suwon Economic Free Zone Designation' aligned with this are golden opportunities to advance Suwon's future urban innovation.
We will find a breakthrough through the 'Gyeonggi International Airport Deliberation Committee,' a venue for collective wisdom led by public discourse and citizen-driven decision-making.
We will establish governance where citizens can directly examine conflicts and issues, engage in discussion and communication, and make decisions proactively.
Through this, we will form consensus and secure momentum for implementing the Gyeonggi International Airport project.
Fourth, we will be reborn as a world-class cultural capital.
Culture and sports that anyone can enjoy and experience are sources of pride for Suwon.
Last month, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism selected the 'Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival' as one of Korea's three major festivals.
Using this as a bridgehead, we will elevate Suwon's pride, the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, to the next level.
We will make it a world-class festival and content where citizens from around the globe transcending regional and national borders come together.
Additionally, we will create representative spring and autumn festivals to build 'Forever Festival' Suwon where citizens' lives are enriched.
We will establish Suwon's position as a 'sports-centered city.'
To broaden the foundation of community sports, we will expand club activities and attract and host national and international competitions.
Additionally, this year we will expand 7 sports facilities including soccer fields, baseball fields, and complex sports centers, and by 2026 accumulate 22 facilities, working hard to establish sports infrastructure that will serve as a venue for healthy communication.
We will realize 'Everyone a Teacher, Always a School.'
Suwon City's integrated education brand 'Green Frog SPEC' has taken its first step.
We will open school idle facilities as educational spaces and provide demand-oriented educational content.
We will provide youth with career experience and education aligned with latest trends, enabling them to build their spec, expand their potential capabilities, and pursue their dreams.
Beloved citizens of Suwon Special Status City, and public officials.
In 2024, we will continuously innovate and tirelessly run toward 'a better city and better changes in citizens' lives.'
Like President Park Chung-hee's Gyeongbu Expressway construction, which opened the era of 'nationwide one-day living radius,' and President Kim Dae-jung's informatization revolution, which brought the new daily life of 'the internet,' with the wisdom of 'foresight of ten thousand miles' (明見萬里) that looks ten, thirty years into the future, we will lay stepping stones for balanced and sustainable growth.
We will create a tomorrow better than today.
Let us together create a 'New Suwon' and 'Shining History.'
In the new year of the Year of the Blue Dragon, let us soar together with the spirit of the blue dragon. Thank you.
January 2, 2024
Mayor of Suwon Special Status City Lee Jae-jun