Park Yong-gap, who has been leading Daejeon Jung-gu for 10 years following the 5th and 6th popular election, has vowed to revitalize the original city center and complete the center of filial culture within his term. In the past, Jung-gu was the center of politics, administration, and economy, but met with the reef of the declining original city center. Since taking office in 2010, Park has been trying to revive Jung-gu by promoting urban readjustment and improvement of residential environment projects, contributing to the reduction of vacancy rates. In addition, large-scale projects such as the Hyo-root Village Development Project, the Base Ball Dream Park Project, and the Bomunsan Development Project are also scheduled, suggesting the goal of making it a city where people gather. <Chungcheong News> met Director Park on the 24th and heard about his key achievements and future direction of the district administration since taking office. [Editors]

 

Q. Ten years since the inauguration of the head of Jung-gu District, how do you feel?

 

"For the past decade, we have always conducted an administration with the people of the district with gratitude. As I promised the residents, I think I am serving as the clean and diligent head of the district and the head of the district who is good at living. Last December's long-thought-out declaration not to run in the general elections also made me elected as the third-term district chief, and I thought running in another election in the middle of my term would be a breach of my promise with the residents. I think it is the duty of the residents to abide by the wishes of the residents of Jung-gu and to keep their promises.

 

Since taking office, Korea's Manifesto Action Headquarters has received the highest grade of SA five times in its pledge fulfillment evaluation for heads of local governments across the countrywide. As the head of a local government, he received the best grades in keeping his promises with the residents. I think this result is due to the hard work of the employees together. I would like to thank our staff for their efforts in the development of the district administration and for the residents. For the rest of my term, I will fulfill my duty without missing out on the 7th popular election pledge project."

 

Q. One of the most memorable achievements of the 10 years in the office.

 

"It is the early repayment of local bonds. In July 2010, when he was inaugurated as the head of Jung-gu Office, our finances in Jung-gu were in a very serious crisis due to a decrease in transaction taxes caused by the real estate recession. Until now, local bonds issued had increased financial pressure to about 12.7 billion won, including interest. To overcome the poor financial situation, we went into a tight budget. Since then, it has focused on the early repayment of local bonds through administrative innovation and savings.

 

It has implemented an intensive fiscal soundness plan by reviewing all projects it has been pushing for from scratch to prevent waste of budget. After such efforts, I can't forget the memory of finally realizing "Jung-gu without debt, zero debt per resident" in June 2017 by repaying all 12.2 billion won of outstanding local bonds (including interest)."

 

Q. Jung-gu's policy of revitalizing the original city center.

 

We have been carrying out various projects to revitalize the original city center. △ It has completed a project to build a middle school road, a first and second stages of alley regeneration in Daeheung-dong, a re-creation project around our park, a project to create a cultural village in Busa-dong, a project to create a Yangji Neighborhood Park, a project to build a night view lighting facility in Daeje-ro Couple Zone, a project to expand roads in Yuchun-dong and improve the street. As a result, the vacancy rate of 21% since the inauguration of the district chief decreased to 13% last year.

 

Among the projects currently underway, the government will carry out projects by the end of this year that includes the establishment of roads (21 routes), the creation of parking lots (6 locations), and the creation of urban parks (4 locations, including green areas) to improve the residential environment in Bomun District 1 and 3 and the residential environment in Daesa-dong. When the project is completed, it is expected to be reborn as a clean city, which will also contribute to improving the quality of life for local residents."

 

Q. Redevelopment and reconstruction will be carried out throughout Jung-gu.

 

Currently, Jung-gu is actively pursuing redevelopment and reconstruction. Urban redevelopment projects, reconstruction projects, and individual projects, which are dominated by the private sector, are being actively promoted. As for the redevelopment project, the construction of Mok-dong 3 District began in October last year and is scheduled to be completed in May 2022, and 15 districts, including Mok-dong 4 District, are undergoing procedures such as whether to establish a union, which is expected to start within a year.

 

The reconstruction project is also showing tangible results in three areas, including Jungchon-dong District 1, where Jungchon Jugong Apartment is located, and four individual projects have been started and are under construction. The completion dates of these apartments are somewhat different, but when completed, about 25,000 households and 63,000 people are expected to move in. Once these redevelopment and reconstruction projects are completed, the economic revitalization due to the influx of large numbers of people in Jung-gu is expected to be significant."

Q. How far have you come from the Hyomunhwa(Hyo Culture) Root Village Project?

 

"The Root Park, which began in 1997 with 72 castles, has now developed into a Root Park with 244 castles. The Root Park has not only castle sculptures, but also a forest bath, a cedar, a camping ground, a national palace, an observatory, and a promenade, making it a landmark of Daejeon, which attracts 1.5 million people a year, and is currently saturated.

 

So I made a plan to create a second root park. The project to create a Hyo Culture Root Village, which will house the second Root Park, is expected to serve as a stepping stone for Woori-gu's new growth engine and a further leap forward as the center of Hyo Culture. The Hyo Culture Root Village is a hub project for the Chungcheong Confucian Cultural Area's wide-area tourism development plan. The project is aimed at creating a second root park, youth training facilities, family rest areas, waterfront walkways, connection roads, and parking lots around 65-3 Sajeong-dong Mountain.

 

The process of carrying out the project was not smooth. Although the project itself was on the verge of collapse due to the entire project cost of developing wide-area tourism in Chungcheong Confucian culture, which amounted to 800 billion won, it continued to explain the need for the project to the National Assembly, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. In April 2018, the central investment review by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security was the first project to develop wide-area tourism in the Chungcheong Confucian culture region in Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong provinces. At the same time, various administrative procedures are being carried out, and compensation consultations are being held to acquire land consultation."

 

Q. Apparently, there is a project selected as the best innovation case in the country...

 

"The empty house maintenance project, a kind of CPTED project, won the Ministry of Public Administration and Security's Innovation Champion Certification Award in June 2019. Empty houses that are left unattended have become vulnerable to the surrounding residential environment due to the risk of urban beauty and fire, especially as they have been reduced to a crime zone for teenagers.

 

For the first time in the city of Daejeon, the district has changed to a community shelter, a village parking lot, a village garden, and a flower garden with the consent of the owner since 2015, and has returned 48 dongs to the residents so far. As a result, it has had many effects such as crime prevention and improvement of urban appearance, and has also brought about the revitalization of the village community. I am very happy that the empty house maintenance project has been selected as an excellent innovation case in the country, and I thank the residents who have been with me in the project."

 

Q. Daejeon Hyo Culture Root Festival and Kalguksu Festival.

 

"The Daejeon Hyo Culture Root Festival is a festival where senior citizens and teenagers communicate and blend together. The purpose of the Hyo Culture Root Festival is to know my roots, to be good to my parents, to respect my elders, and to create a social culture where future teenagers can grow up humanely and correctly.

 

Although there were some difficulties with the theme of intangible values, the Daejeon Hyo Cultural Root Festival was held until the 11th anniversary of 2019 with the attention of many people. As a result, it ranked fifth in brand evaluation among 775 festivals nationwide, establishing itself as a representative festival in Daejeon.

 

The Daejeon Kalguksu Festival is a festival with a story that conveys the history and locality of the kalguks(Korean Noodle Soup) culture of Daejeon. It was first launched in 2013 to develop a family-based program that allows visitors to see, enjoy, and experience kalguksu.

 

Every year, the festival was held at the Seodaejeon Citizens' Park. In 2019, the festival was held together at the Root Park due to the construction of Seodaejeon Citizens' Park. The festival was held under the concept of meeting Hyo and Kalguksu, and the festival was even more abundant. As a result, 500,000 visitors came."

 

Q. The direction of the administration in the second half of the 7th popular election.

 

"The direction that local governments should pursue is the administration they want. The needs of the residents vary. It is a mission that any local government should pursue to develop diverse needs of residents evenly, including a living welfare environment, a safe and healthy living environment, and a healthy community through residents' participation.

 

Since taking office as the 5th mayor of Jung-gu District, I have been working hard to revitalize the original city center and build a center of filial culture. As a result, competitive infrastructure has transformed the original city center, and many people, especially young people, are returning to Jung-gu to revitalize the region.

 

Recently, a new business district called Seonhwa-dan-gil was formed behind the former South Chungcheong Provincial Government. As such, the 5th and 6th civil elections have achieved many achievements in revitalizing the original city center, focusing on the core commercial districts of the region, including Eunhaeng-dong, Seonhwa-dong, and Daeheung-dong. The project to revitalize the original city center aims to enhance the competitiveness of the entire city through balanced regional growth, even in the second half of the seventh popular election.

 

In addition, through the Root Village Development Project and the Hyo Culture Root Festival, we will continue to create a central city for filial piety by creating a social culture in which future youths can grow properly and humanely."

 

Q. Major tasks for the remaining two years of his term.

 

"First of all, our Jung-gu district is actively promoting the government's urban renewal New Deal project, which will regenerate cities based on residents' opinions and regional identity. Currently, Jungchon-dong and Yuchun-dong have been selected as the sites for the urban renewal New Deal project, and the project is underway. Jungchon-dong will be specialized in customized fashion platforms, while Yuchun-dong will be transformed into a competitive area by expanding life-oriented amenities. Currently, research services are underway in Seokgyo-dong to be selected as the target site for the urban renewal New Deal project.

 

The development of the Jung-gu office, which has aged more than 60 years, is also scheduled. The project is the only project in the country that has been selected and promoted by Jung-gu District Office in the fifth public building renewal leading project last year. The project, which will be carried out with two basement floors and 18 floors above ground, will be completed in 2026, and will be linked to the Nara Kium Daejeon Integration Center, which is scheduled to be built on the site of the former South Chungcheong Provincial Government building in 2023.

 

In addition, the government plans to build an aging administrative welfare center as a complex community center space. The construction of the Daesa-dong Multi-Comunity Center is currently underway, and the administrative and welfare centers in Taepyeong 1.2-dong, Seokgyo-dong, and Oryu-dong, which established annual medium-term investment plans last year, will also be built without a hitch."