JEONNAM-GWANGJU — Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City is speeding up repairs at sites prone to natural disasters to better protect residents.
The city said on the 14th that it will spend 274.8 billion won ($198 million) in 2027 on 156 districts, including 33 new sites and 123 where work is already under way. The total cost of the projects is about 2.6 trillion won.
Many of the new sites suffered heavy damage from torrential rain. They include the Unam Stream in Naju, the Sinan district in Buk-gu, the Yuchon district in Seo-gu and the Iyang district in Hwasun. The 33 new districts will receive 30.4 billion won in initial funding, out of a total project cost of 388.9 billion won.
The city plans to repair streams, drainage facilities and steep slopes in these areas to prevent recurring flooding and collapses. It is placing particular emphasis on safety improvements that residents can feel in their own neighborhoods. Rather than simply repairing damage after the fact, the city said it will pursue preventive work that heads off disasters before they occur.
The program is a flagship disaster-prevention project run by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. It aims to protect lives and property by upgrading vulnerable facilities and high-risk areas in advance.
The city said it has identified candidate sites early in line with the central government's disaster-prevention policy. It also responded to the expansion of a multi-ministry program that overhauls flood- and storm-prone residential zones, and brought in private-sector experts for advance consulting. City officials repeatedly briefed central government ministries on the urgency of the projects and the need for state funding.
As a result, 33 districts were selected for new projects in 2027. The city said securing state funds will reduce the burden on its own budget and provide a stable footing for disaster-prevention work.
The city plans to move quickly on administrative steps such as detailed design, preliminary design reviews and compensation. To prevent delays, it will also operate a task force aimed at keeping projects from being carried over to the following year. The task force will regularly check progress and budget execution rates, and will resolve problems on site as needed.
"Repairing disaster-prone areas in advance is the most effective way to reduce damage," Mayor Min Hyung-bae said. "We will build a safe integrated special city that protects the lives and property of our residents."
