SUWON — Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-joon said on the 1st that he will complete the city's "Grand Transformation" in his second elected term with changes residents can feel in their daily lives, building on the results of his first term.
Speaking at a vision briefing held the same day at the Suwon Convention Center, Lee said the standard for city administration should be how much residents' lives have actually changed, not administrative performance figures.
"Residents can feel change when their monthly living expenses fall, when small business owners see better sales and when quality jobs increase," he said.
Lee outlined his second-term policy direction around three numbers: 1,049, 2,700 and 140.
The first refers to 10.49 million won in annual living expenses that a five-person household can save if it receives all of the city's transportation, education and medical support. The second refers to the 270 billion won in debt the city repaid during his first term, which Lee cited as evidence of restored fiscal health. The third is the number of detailed projects the city will pursue and manage over the coming term.
The second-term vision is titled "Completing the Grand Transformation of Suwon." Its goals are a city of stable living and livelihoods, a city of shared growth through culture and tourism, and a research city built on advanced science.
"We will reduce the burden of living costs for residents and expand the breathing room in their lives," Lee said. "We will build a city structure where people come to Suwon, stay, spend and return."
He added that the city would draw research institutions, companies and investment, and channel that growth into good jobs and opportunities for residents.
Lee also laid out the operating principles for his second term.
The core principles are listening and communication, tangible benefits for residents, and responsibility for the future. The city plans to ask residents directly, start policy from voices on the ground, and judge results by whether residents' lives have changed.
"A policy is not finished once it is set," Lee said. "We will keep listening to voices on the ground, review them and make corrections."
"As a re-elected mayor, I will carry the achievements of my first term into responsible commitments for the second," he said. "I will complete the Grand Transformation of Suwon together with its residents."
