Kim Se-hoon, the mayor of Hwacheon, has proposed political cooperation and expanding resident income as solutions for the current divided governance in the region. During a discussion on 'Coexistence Hwacheon' with political commentator Professor Choi Chang-ryul at the Hwacheon Cultural Center on August 31, he outlined the future direction of the local government, including its relationship with the county council, basic income initiatives, sunshine pensions, and tourism and forestry policies.
Residents expressed interest in political unity in Hwacheon following the recent elections. One resident remarked, 'We fought fiercely during the election, but now we must come together as neighbors,' prompting Mayor Kim to emphasize that regional development should take precedence over party affiliations.
Kim stated, 'What does it matter if it's the Democratic Party or the People Power Party? Let's not focus on parties; my thought is that we should all move towards creating a 'Hwacheon Party.' He also viewed the newly formed divided county council not solely as a challenge but as a call for collaborative governance.
Initially concerned about the divided council after his election, Kim has since interpreted it as a mandate to avoid unilateral governance. He expressed his intention to approach council members first to explain the necessity of major policies or budgets and seek their cooperation.
Professor Choi also highlighted the importance of 'acknowledging differences' as a starting point for political coexistence. He pointed out the issues of polarization and factionalism in national politics, stressing the need to recognize differing viewpoints.
Following the discussion on political cooperation, Kim unveiled his plans for resident income policies in the ninth term. He proposed starting with a monthly basic income of 150,000 won for rural residents and implementing a 'sunshine pension' that would return profits from renewable energy sources like solar and wind power to the community, thereby increasing residents' actual income.
He also suggested utilizing idle land from military bases as economic assets for the region. Kim mentioned that he met with defense officials to discuss long-term utilization of these lands, considering options such as solar power generation, film and video production facilities, and corporate training centers. Both the sunshine pension and the use of military idle land are long-term plans that will require discussions with relevant agencies and feasibility studies.
Kim expressed his commitment to expanding a circular economy using local currency. He plans to connect basic income, festivals, and sports marketing with local currency to ensure that spending in Hwacheon circulates within the local economy rather than flowing out.
Regarding local issues in Sain-myeon, Kim addressed the golf driving range project, suggesting that rather than scrapping it entirely, it would be more practical to adjust the project's scale and budget, considering the funds already invested. He also stated that major projects like the construction of a government office in Sain-myeon and local landscape initiatives would involve presenting various options to residents and gathering their opinions before making decisions.
Additionally, he proposed leveraging Hwacheon's abundant forest resources to create economic forests, produce wild vegetables, develop the wood processing industry, and expand tourism resources such as arboretums and woodlands, aiming to cultivate new sources of income for residents.
Kim reiterated his focus on income, stating, 'First, income; second, income; third, income,' expressing his determination to implement policies that residents can feel in their daily lives.
Over 100 attendees, including Park Dae-hyun, a member of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Council, Lee Sun-hee, vice chair of the Hwacheon County Council, Kim Myung-jin, a Hwacheon County Council member, and residents of Sain-myeon, participated in the event. The program included Professor Choi's lecture on political and social issues, followed by a discussion with Mayor Kim and a Q&A session with residents.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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