2023 창원시장 선거: 조명래 전 부시장, 100년 비전으로 도시 재편 제안!

[Point Economy] Jo Myung-rae, former Deputy Mayor of Changwon Special City, has officially announced his bid for the Changwon mayoral race, presenting a 100-year vision centered on urban restructuring.

During a press conference at Changwon City Hall, Jo stated, “In my three years as Deputy Mayor, working alongside 5,000 civil servants, I’ve clearly identified our city’s structural limitations and opportunities. Drawing from my experience in the 8th elected administration, I aim to chart a new course for Changwon’s future.”

Jo diagnosed that while Changwon has successfully merged its administrative districts, it now faces growing regional disparities. Highlighting issues such as the hollowing out of Masan, youth exodus, and inequalities in healthcare, education, and housing, he emphasized, “What we need isn’t just project expansion, but a fundamental reimagining of our urban framework.”

Jo also outlined a specific regional vision for the concurrent growth of Masan, Changwon, and Jinhae.

To elevate Masan as an administrative and cultural hub, he proposes relocating Changwon City Hall to Masan Marine New Town, establishing it as the city’s nerve center while repurposing the current building as a secondary office. This move aims to restore Masan’s former glory as one of Korea’s top 7 cities, integrating the old downtown with waterfront areas to create a vibrant educational and cultural landscape.

Jo plans to reposition Changwon as a city that harmoniously supports industry and business. His strategy includes advancing the National Industrial Complex 2.0, attracting a medical school and research park, and revising urban planning to enhance living conditions, aiming to create a “Changwon where people thrive.”

For Jinhae, Jo emphasized its development as a marine industry and tourism center. By relocating the Jinhae Education Command, he aims to lift building height restrictions and usher in a marine renaissance, enabling year-round leisure activities.

Notably, Jo promised to construct a 70-km “Grand Unification Sky Deck Road” connecting the mountain peaks surrounding Masan, Changwon, and Jinhae, creating a landmark attraction for the city.

To achieve these goals, Jo proposed five key governance principles: 1) Implementing balanced administrative services based on a “one function, one hub” approach; 2) Adopting life-cycle cost (LCC) financial management to optimize construction, maintenance, and opportunity costs; 3) Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) with public transparency for data-driven governance; 4) Institutionalizing citizen participation in contentious issues like city hall relocation through public deliberation committees; and 5) Reforming administrative structures through reorganization of public entities, open recruitment for district heads, and leveraging AI and digital transformation.

Jo remarked, “Changwon, once a powerhouse of South Korea’s industrialization and democratization, must shed its image as a ‘formerly prosperous city.’ With my hands-on experience in city management, I commit to transparent and efficient governance through open communication.”

He concluded, “I will build a thriving Changwon that embraces everyone, transcending ideological and party lines. Together with our one million citizens, we’ll write the next chapter in Changwon’s 100-year history.”