[Anchor]

Min Hyung-bae, the Mayor of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, began his first day of work yesterday by visiting all three administrative offices in Muan, Suncheon, and Gwangju. His actions are being interpreted as a move to address concerns over regional marginalization, drawing attention to his future operational plans.

KBC reporter Yang Hu-chang has the report.

[Reporter]

The first place Mayor Min Hyung-bae reported for work was the Muan office.

At the Muan office, Mayor Min issued his first official directive, identifying support for the semiconductor industry, disaster response, and the stabilization of the local economy as top priorities.

In particular, he ordered the concentration of administrative resources to ensure the early completion of factories in line with the 800 trillion won investment by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, aiming for production to begin within President Lee Jae-myung's term.

Afterward, Mayor Min moved to the Suncheon Eastern Office, where he signed off on the 100-day action plan for public livelihood support.

The plan includes tasks designed to allow citizens to feel the effects of the integration, such as additional discounts for local currency, the establishment of new wide-area bus routes connecting the eastern and western regions, and the creation of symbols and a city anthem for the integrated special city.

Having completed his schedule in Suncheon, Mayor Min traveled to Gwangju to pay his respects at the May 18th National Cemetery. He then held a press conference at the Gwangju office to explain his vision for the operation of each office.

He plans to operate the Muan office as a citizen sovereignty office, while the Gwangju office will focus on political functions, led by the Vice Mayor for Autonomy and Innovation, who holds the rank of administrative vice mayor.

The Eastern Office is planned to be designated as the main address, and he intends to review plans to strengthen administrative functions by expanding its organization and capabilities.

[Min Hyung-bae / Mayor of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City: There is no Jeollanam-do. There is no Gwangju Metropolitan City. There is only the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City. There is no such concept as a main office. It has already been politically agreed that all three locations are main offices...]

Mayor Min concluded his first day in office by attending a citizen rally held at the 5.18 Democracy Plaza to welcome the launch of the integrated special city and the semiconductor investment.

While his tour of all three offices is interpreted as an effort to quell concerns about regional neglect, attention is now focused on how the offices will be managed moving forward.

(Video by Kim Young-hwi, KBC)

Reported by Yang Hu-chang, KBC