‘수원 대전환’ 본격화…‘생활비절감추진단’ 등 맞춤형 조직개편 단행

The city of Suwon has announced a major restructuring plan as part of its "Suwon-to-Changwon" transformation project. The administrative body plans to adjust the infrastructure and scale in order to maximize the execution of key tasks. This new arrangement, which will take effect from next month, will see the transformation of the existing system of 2 divisions, 9 government agencies, 5 direct subordinate units, 10 business offices, and 140 sections or committees into one with 2 divisions, 11 government agencies, 5 direct subordinate units, 9 business offices, and 145 sections or committees. This change will result in an increase in the total workforce from 3,805 to 3,932 personnel.

The city aims to create a livable and stable environment for its citizens, known as the "Living Stability Citizen City" initiative. To achieve this, the safety and social welfare sectors will undergo improvements. The existing Safety and Transport Agency will be split into the Safety Agency and Transport Agency, with the latter being responsible for enhancing the city's disaster response and transportation network.

Additionally, a new unit called "Structural Facility Management" will be established to oversee structural maintenance and repair, while the "Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Support Unit" will focus on supporting SMEs. Simultaneously, the existing Economic Policy Agency will be restructured into the "Citizen Economic Agency," and a new "Living Cost Reduction Organization" will be created to help reduce living expenses through measures such as cuts in education, healthcare, and transportation costs.

The city also plans to bolster its cultural and tourism sectors. To become a global cultural and tourism hub, the "Global Festival Agency" will be created, while the existing Tourism Agency will be restructured into the "Tourism Industry Agency." This change aims to expand the reach of tourism revenue beyond the city core into surrounding districts.

Additionally, a "Citizen Communication Agency" will be established to consolidate communication and promotional functions, ensuring that policy outcomes are swiftly communicated to citizens. Lastly, the city will establish a "Challenging Science and Research City" framework, leveraging the city's strong academic ties with Samsung Electronics and seven local universities.

This includes the creation of an "Advanced Industry AI Agency" to focus on artificial intelligence, as well as the "Advanced Industry and AI Strategy" and "Enterprise Support" agencies to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among young people and startups. Suwon's mayor, Lee Jae-jun, emphasized that this restructuring will strengthen the city's administrative foundation and drive future growth, ultimately enhancing the city's competitiveness and creating more positive change for its citizens.