Kim Byung-nae, preliminary candidate for Gwangju Nam-gu District Mayor (currently suspended from duties), officially declared his bid for a third term on the 16th.
At a press conference held at Gwangju Metropolitan Council, he unveiled his vision "to elevate Nam-gu into the economic, cultural, and educational hub of South Korea's southern region ahead of the Gwangju-South Jeolla integration era."
He assessed that Nam-gu achieved notable transformation during his eight years in office spanning the 7th and 8th popularly elected terms.
"Nam-gu is now transforming into a completely different city from what it was before," Kim said. "We resolved chronic flooding through the Baegun Plaza sewer system renovation and achieved nationally rare accomplishments including four consecutive years as the safest city, five consecutive years ranking first nationwide in civil service, and seven consecutive years of top SA rating in campaign pledge fulfillment evaluations."
He added, "Through urban regeneration New Deal projects and lifestyle SOC integration projects, we are significantly expanding living infrastructure across Nam-gu including the old downtown. These changes are valuable achievements created together by Nam-gu public servants and 210,000 Nam-gu residents."
Kim also presented five future visions for Nam-gu's new leap forward: fostering a "hyper-connected convergence hub city," creating a self-sufficient economic city based on advanced industries, building a city where young people visit and stay, developing a stay-type tourism city with living history and ecology, and completing urban regeneration and lifestyle SOC integration projects.
"Going forward, it will be competition between cities," Kim said. "Whether Nam-gu becomes the center or the periphery in the era of a 3.2 million integrated special city depends on our choices now."
Kim, who is recognized for proving himself through results rather than words, stated, "With proven experience and decisive execution, I will continue and complete the momentum of Nam-gu's development. I will create a new history for Nam-gu together with 210,000 Nam-gu residents."
Kim is scheduled to hold the opening ceremony for his campaign office on the 17th.