"We will open Yudeungcheon Renaissance through balanced development," said Jang Jong-Tae.

Jang Jong-Tae, head of the Seo-gu District in Daejeon, has been focusing his capabilities on balanced development to the extent that he is called a "Balanced Development Evangelist." Since the launch of the sixth popular election in 2014, he has vowed to "close the gap between regions for the sustainable development of the West." The decision is based on the judgment that Western development is difficult without a balanced evolution. <Chungcheong News met Jang, head of Seo-gu District, on July 20, and listened to the balanced development plan, performance, and core projects in the first half of the 7th popular election, and post-corona strategies. [Editor's comment]

Jang is currently speeding up to complete balanced development. As of 2020, when the 7th popular election was returned, the balanced development project in Seo-gu has established a basic plan containing 58 projects to be carried out by each region by 2030, and 89.7 per cent of the projects are being carried out normally.

It divided the West into four areas: the Dunsan area, the new town center of the Doan and the official residence, the old city center of Doma, the old town center of Boksu and Jeonglim, and the established area.

The government plans to further enhance the dignity of the Dunsan area, expand urban infrastructure in the new downtown area, narrow the gap through a revitalization in the old downtown area, and manage the established area as a space for relaxation and healing, respectively.

Jang predicted that the revitalization of the old downtown area will determine the outcome of balanced development. As the core of the balanced development project is to narrow the gap between the new city and the old city center, it is focusing on revitalizing the original city center.

In particular, the West expects a renaissance centered on Yudeungcheon Stream through the New Deal for Urban Regeneration, a major national agenda of the government.

The urban renewal New Deal project is designed to revitalize the city center by repairing old houses in the declining old city center and creating convenient living facilities such as parking lots and residents' sharing spaces.

Director Jang explained that 41,340 people are expected to enter a total of 11 districts when urban readjustment projects such as redevelopment and reconstruction projects are completed as the target sites for the New Deal regeneration project are confirmed.

In addition, the establishment of a complex community center in Galma-dong on the site of the former Seo-gu Office, improvement of the residential environment in Gama-dong and Jeongnim-dong, construction of an administrative welfare center in Yongmun and Doan-dong, and a project to improve the Maechon Bridge linking Seodaejeon to Gosuwon (Honam Line) are also underway without a hitch.

"In the future, we will do our best to resolve the imbalance between the original city and the new town center and the new town center by speeding up a total of 61 projects in the four regions included in the balanced development action plan in the West, including the urban renewal New Deal project," Director Jang promised.

Attention is focusing on whether to correct the decades-old "slanted playground" due to the development of imbalances in the West.

The following is one question and one answer with Jang Jong-Tae.

Q. To summarize the major achievements of the 7th popular election year?

First of all, we have made efforts to shape the future vision that will lead to regional development and to help the West grow to become a resident-centered autonomous city.

As a concrete measure to realize this, the government has prepared roadmaps for 74 pledged projects in five areas, established 10 strategic tasks to lead future development, and established the second Western Balanced Development Plan, which includes 61 projects in four regions, and is currently carrying out 46 projects.

At the same time, the central decentralization plan was designed mainly for metropolitan areas, and we have established a comprehensive plan for western autonomous decentralization (Daejeon), including 19 detailed tasks that fit our old reality, in March 2019 to take the lead in implementing a leading city for autonomous decentralization."

Q. With the prolonged COVID-19 period, the people's livelihood, including small business owners, has become more difficult. What has it been covered in the progress, and planning future for economic recovery?

We have announced the target number of local jobs for the 7th popular election to 31,108, and have realized the living wage system from 7,180 won to 9,570 won. (Preparation) Social enterprises (25→47) and cooperatives (175→214) increased, and in May 2019, they built a joint logistics warehouse in traditional markets to help revitalize them.

In order to preemptively respond to the sluggish employment environment due to the spread of COVID-19, the company also carried out Western-style job projects.

Through industry-government-academic cooperation, such as the operation of a regional job creation consultative body, comprehensive consulting on jobs with local university experts, and an agreement to create jobs for young people, the company held a job fair to resolve job mismatches and hired job counselors to operate a Western job support center for the job-vulnerable people.

In the second half of the year, the government plans to push for a job project to overcome COVID-19 with full state funds, and will create 1,500 jobs, the largest among the five Daejeon districts, by finding various projects suitable for regional characteristics.

In addition, after establishing a comprehensive plan for revitalizing the local economy in April, the Korona 19 directly provided 8,500 people with 3.761 billion won in funds for management stabilization of small businesses and disaster stabilization funds. In the second half of the year, the company will operate the Corona 19 Overcoming Counseling Center to provide opportunities to improve self-sustaining power compared to post-corona by matching and consulting customized support measures for companies, small business owners and residents in the government.

We will come up with support measures for village enterprises and social enterprises suffering from sales cuts and management difficulties. In addition, we will enhance the self-sustaining power of small business owners by striving to strengthen management against post-corona through projects to improve facilities in traditional markets (such as expanding parking lots, installing arcades, etc.) and fostering alley-type shopping districts and supporting online marketing."

Q. What are the top 10 strategic tasks that will lead to the future development of the West?

"The top 10 strategic tasks that will lead the future development of the West have been explored to create unique colors for the sixth and seventh popular election, and to secure new growth momentum in the West.

Top 10 strategic tasks are:

1.a self-governing city created with residents; 2.a self-governing city

2. Creating a Pyeongchon eco-friendly industrial complex where nature and industry coexist

3. Making safer safe stationery

4. Fostering representative festivals of Korea in Daejeon Seo-gu Healing Art Festival

5. Establishment of Science-Cultural Arts Belt in Mannyeon-dong

6. Creating a happy welfare city for children, women and seniors

7. Our Neighborhood Regeneration Project Created by Residents

8. Implementing green welfare city in connection with the creation of Dunsan Central Park

9. Jangtaesan Mountain and Norubal National Ecotourism Specialization

10. 'The whole village is a learning place' The implementation of Seo-gu, the leading city of education, etc.

The 10 strategic tasks will be included in the long-term project of the 2nd Balanced Development Basic Plan, and we will share the details of the project with the residents and carry it out together."

Q. What is the direction of the administration in the second half of the 7th popular region election?

In the second half of the 7th popular region election, we will speed up the old administration so that core tasks of it, such as autonomous decentralization, balanced development, and the economy of people's livelihood, can bear fruit, and we will effectively respond to the rapidly changing future environment.

There are many tasks to be solved during the remaining term, but I would like to prioritize securing new growth engines in the West by attracting large-scale national projects that will lead the region's future.

Our constituency with the birth of the National Assembly speaker has provided an opportunity to push ahead with projects that the West has not been able to do so far. We will take advantage of these opportunities and make active efforts to discover and attract large-scale national policy projects that can speed up regional development."

Q. Lastly, what do you want to say to the residents?

"The 7th popular election is now halfway through. Comparing it to a marathon, it has reached a turning point of 42.195 kilometers.

Although I have wanted to walk for the past two years, I was able to run without a break thanks to the active participation and interest of Westerners who boast a high sense of citizenship, and the dedication of public officials who have been running in a direct attitude of faith.

I take this opportunity to thank everyone. There's still a lot to do. From balanced development to the recovery of the people's livelihood, recovery of the community, and making it a safer city, I will think about it again and again.

I will run hard for the West, where today is happier than yesterday and tomorrow than today, and I will do my best for the rest of my term."