[Guri = E-Daily Reporter Jung Jae-Hoon ] In local elections held once every four years, one of the first things a new mayor does upon taking office is to change the municipal slogan promoted by the previous mayor. However, Shin Dong-hwa, the mayor-elect of Guri, has decided to retain the slogan from the 8th popularly elected administration—“Joyful Change, a Happier Guri”—as the slogan for the 9th popularly elected Guri City administration, which will take office on the 1st of next month.

In a recent interview with Edaily, Mayor-elect Shin explained, “If the meaning behind the existing municipal slogan and motto is consistent with the administrative policies of the 9th popularly elected administration, is there really a need to change it?” He added, “While it is common for a new mayor to create a new municipal slogan aligned with the direction of the incoming administration, looking beneath the surface, the primary intention is often to erase the traces of the previous mayor.”

He further emphasized, “The process of unconditionally erasing the traces of the previous mayor simply because there has been a change in leadership only causes confusion among citizens and inevitably requires spending hundreds of millions of won from the budget.” He added, “Since the current city slogan, ‘Joyful Change, a Happier Guri,’ aligns with the policy direction of the 9th popularly elected administration, continuing to use it as is is the very way to truly deliver ‘joyful change’ to the citizens.”

To this end, Shin met with Baek Gyeong-hyeon, the mayor of the 8th popularly elected administration, to explain his intention to carry forward the current slogan and reported that he received Baek’s agreement, who responded, “I’d appreciate it if you did that.”

The 9th popularly elected administration of Guri City is beginning on this foundation. Mayor-elect Shin Dong-hwa expressed his determination to expedite the relocation of the Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Development Corporation (GH)—which had been stalled due to the issue of Guri’s potential incorporation into Seoul—to resolve youth unemployment, and to swiftly address the inconveniences citizens face due to the lack of a metropolitan transportation network.

Mayor-elect Shin stated, “The three pressing issues that Guri City must resolve urgently stem from the fact that, for decades, the city neglected efforts to become self-sufficient and instead remained a residential-centered city for citizens commuting to and from Seoul.” He added, “Rather than seeking individual solutions to these issues, we must address the root causes and transform the city’s very structure.”

First, Shin plans to finalize the prompt relocation of the GH.

He explained his plan, saying, “I will now move beyond the political debates surrounding the GH relocation and focus on finding an administrative solution,” adding, “I will form a working-level task force with Gyeonggi Province to create a phased relocation roadmap and restore normal operations as soon as possible.”

He also outlined his vision for expanding youth employment and improving transportation infrastructure. Mayor-elect Shin stated, “We will build a cluster centered on high-tech industries and venture companies in the San-dong area to create a city where young people can easily find jobs. We will also explore ways to have the GTX-B line stop at Galmae Station and extend Subway Line 6 from its current terminus in Mangwoo-dong, Seoul, all the way to Guri.”

He believes that reforming the civil service is essential to resolving these pressing issues and improving citizens’ quality of life. Accordingly, he has pledged not to engage in practices that waste time and budget, nor to repeat the decades-long tradition of patronage and retaliatory appointments that have plagued Guri City immediately after local elections, nor to persistently dredge up and expose the mistakes of the previous mayor’s administration.

Mayor-elect Shin stated, “I will put an end to the patronage and retaliatory personnel appointments that have run rampant every time a new mayor takes office,” adding, “I will focus on administrative areas closely tied to citizens’ daily lives—such as water and sewage systems and sanitation—and foster a performance-oriented culture within the civil service.” He added, “The reason I do not visit the transition committee office currently in operation is to avoid instilling in public officials the notion that they must curry favor to secure a good position.”

Finally, Shin pledged, “Starting in July, Guri City will move forward with its sights set firmly on the future to grow into a city where citizens are happier,” and assured, “You can look forward to the future of Guri City as we take steady, strides forward together with our citizens.”