Mayor Kim Bo-ra of Anseong City Shares Global Vision of 'Social Solidarity Economy' at GSEF Bordeaux Forum

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Chan-hyuk] Mayor Kim Bo-ra of Anseong City, who is visiting France to attend the '2025 Global Social and Solidarity Economy Forum (GSEF) Bordeaux Forum,' shared the vision and experiences of local-based social solidarity economy with the international community while strengthening global exchanges.

The Bordeaux Forum, held from October 29 through 31, brings together approximately 5,500 participants from 70 countries worldwide, including central government officials, mayors and local government leaders, social economy entrepreneurs, and international organization officials, engaging in discussions on seven key agenda items.

Mayor Kim attended the forum as the Chair of the National Council of Local Governments for Social Solidarity Economy, representing Korean local governments, and as the representative of the GSEF Asia Continental Chair Organization. On the first day of the forum, October 29, she held a meeting with Pierre Hurmic, Mayor of Bordeaux, the host city, at his official invitation.

During the meeting, Mayor Pierre Hurmic expressed his willingness to exchange with Korean local governments and explained challenges facing Bordeaux, France's largest wine-producing region, including climate crisis and farmland utilization issues. Mayor Kim emphasized the similarities in agriculture and livestock industries between Anseong City and Bordeaux, and shared a vision of local innovation policies that can lead to improved resident welfare, creating a meaningful discussion about common agendas and cooperation possibilities between the two cities.

On the second day of the forum, October 30, Mayor Kim participated in the 'The future lies in the regions' session as Asia Continental Chair and Chair of the National Council of Local Governments for Social Solidarity Economy, with a panel composed of social solidarity economy network representatives from local governments around the world. She introduced policies for promoting social solidarity economy being pursued by Anseong City and the local government council.

Starting with an overview of the Anseong region as a rural-urban composite city, she presented various policies pursued by Anseong City with a policy direction of quantitative and qualitative growth of social economy organizations, including support for social enterprise startups linked to city projects. She also introduced 'The Safest Bathhouse in the World at Iljuk,' a successful case where private large enterprises, social economy organizations, and local government collaborated to remodel an aging bathhouse in the region into a local care community space.

Together with fellow panelists including heads of various national networks such as Reves (European Local Government Network) and REMCESS (Cameroon Local Government Network), as well as other local government leaders, she discussed future challenges facing the regions, thereby raising the international standing of Korean local governments including Anseong City.

Mayor Kim Bo-ra stated, "The core of sustainable urban development lies in social solidarity economy based on unique values and community capabilities that regions possess," and added, "Anseong's field is primarily composed of employment for vulnerable groups and agricultural cooperatives, and our future goal is to establish organizations that address various social issues such as single-person households, climate crisis, and foreign workers."

She further noted, "As a result of the GSEF Bordeaux Forum, Anseong City will strengthen its status as a hub city for Asian social solidarity economy and expand our cooperation networks with diverse regions including Europe and Africa."

Meanwhile, GSEF is a global network that seeks to resolve local issues and promote socioeconomic development through international solidarity between social economy organizations and local governments. It was established in 2013, with Seoul City serving as the inaugural chair city.