Gwangju City Launches Initiative to Create "City of Work-Life Balance"
[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Gwangju City announced on the 2nd that it is presenting the vision of "City of Work-Life Balance, Gwangju" and will begin full implementation of various family and childcare policies to create an environment where all citizens can confidently pursue both work and family life.
The city will first expand public childcare infrastructure. It plans to establish a public daycare center at the Sinhyun Complex Cultural Center, scheduled for completion in the second half of this year, and expand the existing 13 "Together Care Centers" to 20 facilities to allow more citizens to access childcare services, while adding "Childcare Comprehensive Support Center" branches in Sinhyun-dong and Gosan-dong to improve accessibility to childcare support services.
Additionally, on Children's Day on the 5th, the city will hold a "Family Festival for Children's Day" at Gonjiam Ceramic Park, creating memorable moments where families can enjoy together through performances and experience booths for children. The city will also strengthen job linking and employment support for women, regularly operate a "Women's Employment Council," and expand practical employment connection programs such as "Career-Holding Women Stepping Stone Employment Support Project" and "Women's Job Fair" to actively provide re-employment opportunities for women with career gaps.
Furthermore, centered on the Gwangju City Family Center, the city plans to operate various programs including "Customized Family Life Programs" and "Father Role Support Projects" to promote family harmony and create an equal childcare environment.
The city will also focus on creating urban spaces to support family leisure time. After opening the largest children's center in Gyeonggi Province in Joong-ang Park, the city plans to expand leisure spaces where families can enjoy together by establishing glamping sites and performance venues in Jungdae Bit Light Park and camping sites and children's playgrounds in the Neureungol Natural Recreation Forest in Toechon-myeon.
Mayor Pang Se-hwan stated, "Family stability is the most powerful policy to enhance citizens' quality of life," and added, "Going forward, I will work together with citizens to create Gwangju as a city great for raising children and achieving work-life balance."