Interview Gwangju Mayor Bang Se-hwan: "Differentiated 'Happiness Policies' Proved Effective"...Sweeping Various Awards

[News S=Reporter Eom In-yong] Gwangju City is receiving recognition for raising citizens' happiness index by achieving differentiated policy results across all areas of municipal administration including health, welfare, administration, and culture throughout 2025.

The city has won consecutive minister commendations and grand prizes from evaluations by central government ministries and external organizations this year, solidifying its status as "the most livable city in the metropolitan area." Experts note that Mayor Bang Se-hwan's rational thinking approach and field-oriented policies that break away from conventional administration and provide practical benefits to citizens' lives have been particularly effective.

This newspaper met with Mayor Bang Se-hwan, who is spending hectic days checking local issues and maintaining citizen-focused responsible administration through communication with residents, to hear about his various accomplishments, both large and small, throughout the year.

■ Realizing a Healthy and Inclusive 'Inclusive City'

First, achievements in public health and medical care directly linked to citizens' health have been notable.

The city was selected as an outstanding local government in the "8th Regional Health and Medical Plan Evaluation" overseen by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and received a commendation from the Minister of Health and Welfare.

Under the vision of "Gwangju, a Health-Centered City Where Everyone is Healthy," the city created a linkage system between medical care and caregiving, and concretely and continuously promoted 2024 results through 2025 plans, which earned high praise.

Additionally, at the "18th Commemoration Ceremony for Overcoming Dementia," the city was uniquely selected as an outstanding organization among dementia care centers in Gyeonggi Province and received a commendation from the Minister of Health and Welfare.

The city expanded the operation of its Dementia Care Center in 2025 to five zones, improving accessibility, and completed a community-centered care system including the operation of dementia-friendly villages.

Furthermore, the Gwangju City Family Center received recognition for the excellence of its childcare support project and won a commendation from the Gyeonggi Province Governor, making significant contributions to addressing childcare gaps.

■ A 'Young City' that Communicates with Future Generations

Notable achievements have also been made in the youth communication sector.

Gwangju City Youth Training Center showcased the "METACTION" program, which combines metaverse and climate action, at the "21st Korea Youth Expo" and achieved the impressive feat of winning the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Commendation (Best Achievement Award).

This future-oriented program, which leverages digital technology to foster youth social participation, was well-received for setting a new milestone.

In the municipal administration promotion field, the city proved its communication competitiveness by winning the "Grand Prize in Basic Local Government Blog Category" at the "11th 2025 SNS of the Year Awards Ceremony."

The city's official blog surpassed 20 million cumulative visitors, effectively serving as a key channel for regional economic vitalization and citizens' information delivery.

■ Realizing Seamless 'Smart Administration'

Efforts to enhance administrative efficiency and secure fiscal soundness have also borne fruit.

The city won a group 2 grand prize in the "2025 First Half Local Tax Delinquency Special Collection Measures Evaluation" overseen by Gyeonggi Province and secured 13 million won in subsidies.

This resulted from customized collection activities including virtual asset seizures, realizing tax justice.

Furthermore, at the "2025 Gyeonggi Province Regional Informatization Best Practices Presentation Conference," the city won an excellence award with a "360° Panorama System" utilizing drones and action cameras, achieving the honor of consecutive awards for two years in a row.

Additionally, the city received recognition for its proactive administrative efforts to guarantee basic rights of stateless and undocumented children and won an encouragement award at the "2025 Gyeonggi Province Proactive Administration Best Practices Competition."

Mayor Bang Se-hwan stated, "This year's diverse awards are the fruit of citizens' participation and the dedication of civil servants working together," and added, "Moving forward, through communicative administration that listens to voices from the field, I will continue to bring about pleasant changes that citizens can feel."