New Year's Message Yongin Special Mayor Lee Sang-il

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Park No-hun] Yongin Special Mayor Lee Sang-il, welcoming the new year of 2024, conveyed a significant message that "the Year of the Dragon in the Galpin calendar shall become a 'precious year for Yongin,'" expressing his determination to achieve tangible results in the year ahead.

In his New Year's address on the 1st, Mayor Lee stated that "Yongin in the eighth popular election term has created strong growth engines to drive the city's future," and emphasized that "the city administration's goal for 2024 is to enhance the future value of Yongin and the value of the city, people, and daily life."

The mayor noted that "in Yongin, with semiconductor anchor companies Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as the main pillars, alongside semiconductor materials, components, equipment, design companies, and semiconductor research and technology development functions, the foundation for forming a massive semiconductor innovation cluster has been laid," demonstrating strong commitment by saying "we will continue to strengthen cooperation with the central government and related agencies to firmly establish Yongin as an innovation base for the semiconductor industry and a core axis of the Korean economy."

Regarding policies for the new year, the mayor announced efforts to strengthen growth momentum by focusing on semiconductor industry development, while simultaneously investing in welfare for struggling citizens and upgrading all sectors including urban transportation, housing, education, culture, and environment to improve citizens' quality of life.

"We will establish the foundation for dynamic growth to enhance Yongin's future value, raise the value of the city through sustainable balanced development, enhance the value of people through welfare that strengthens life, and raise the value of daily life through upgrading culture and living environment," he stated.

The mayor's such aspirations stem from the remarkable achievements he has accomplished in just one year and six months after taking office—unprecedented accomplishments compared to any previous mayor.

Since Yongin Special Mayor Lee Sang-il took office in the eighth popular election term, Yongin has attracted an advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex in Idong and Namsa-eup, designated candidates, and three locations—this complex, SK Hynix's Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, and Samsung Electronics' Giheung Campus—have been selected as national advanced strategic industry semiconductor specialized zones, firmly establishing the foundation for Yongin's leap toward becoming a world-class semiconductor hub.

Furthermore, in November of last year, the decision was made to develop a semiconductor-specialized new city in Idong-eup with 16,000 household units as a support city for the advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex, presenting Yongin with a double opportunity for comprehensive urban development.

In his New Year's address, the mayor emphasized creating "a Yongin where citizens say that good jobs abound, commercial districts brim with vitality and business flourishes, they can send their children to school with confidence, traffic conditions have improved significantly, programs for retirement and health have become more diverse, and mobility for people with disabilities has become easier."

The mayor also mentioned that "we are preparing well for the 42nd Korea National Theater Festival and the 1st National University Theater Festival to be held in June. I encourage you to take this opportunity to immerse yourselves in the charm of high-level theater."

Regarding carbon-neutral city projects that the city has recently prioritized, the mayor stated that "overcoming the climate crisis is a task that cannot be accomplished without citizens' participation," urging "I hope citizens will lend their further support." The city is implementing projects including operating a carbon neutrality support center, supporting renewable energy convergence and fusion, promoting eco-friendly vehicles, and expanding low-carbon transportation infrastructure, targeting the realization of a 2050 carbon-neutral city.

The mayor concluded by saying "Helen Keller said, 'When we do our best, no one knows what miracles will appear in our own or others' lives,'" pledging that "together with all public officials of the city, we will do our best to make 2024 a precious 'year of Yongin.'"

Welcoming the Year of the Blue Dragon in the Galpin calendar, the mayor, befitting a mayor of a city characterized by the Chinese character for dragon, extended his New Year's greetings: "May you soar high like a dragon and make this year meaningful and wonderful."