CHANGWON — The appointment of Lee Kwang-chul as chief executive of Changwon FC now rests with Mayor Kang Ki-yun, after the nominee was found to have eight criminal convictions. The mayor said he is "thinking hard about it."
Kang made the remarks at a news conference on the 13th at the Changwon City Hall citizens' hall, marking 100 days since the start of his term. "He cleared the city council's standing committee hearing one way or another, and now my own position is what remains," the mayor said.
During the council's confirmation process, Lee was found to have eight convictions, including for assault, drunk driving and operating a gambling arcade. Most of the procedural steps — review by the nomination committee and the standing committee, and the confirmation hearing — have been completed. The Democratic Party of Korea is calling for the appointment to be halted. The party's council caucus began a one-person protest outside Changwon City Hall on the morning of the 13th, with Council member Park Hae-jung taking the first shift. From 8 a.m. for one hour, caucus members held placards reading, "Qualified despite eight convictions? Mayor Kang Ki-yun, halt the appointment of the Changwon FC CEO."
"There seemed to be no problem with the criminal record check he submitted, and the faults appear to have emerged from his conduct outside the paperwork. But people can make mistakes in life, and some reflect on them and try to live a new life," Kang said.
"He came through the procedures either way, but with media interest and concerns from some council members, my mind is heavy," he added. "If many citizens are worried, that is not something I can overlook, so I am thinking hard about it."
Kang drew a line at suggestions that the pick amounted to a reward for political loyalty. "People ask whether the candidates for the Changwon Cultural Foundation, the Gyeongnam Robot Land Foundation and Changwon FC are patronage appointments. I did see him a couple of times during the election, but he came through the proper process, and isn't it harsh to blow that out of proportion?" the mayor said. "People may have questions, but I hope they don't read too much politics into it."
On the stalled development of Changwon's second national industrial complex, Kang pointed to the cost burden. "Including the land remediation costs that the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) is demanding over an abandoned mine discovered during the survey, we expect the city's share of the costs to come to nearly 500 billion won [about $342 million]," he said. "When you look at what benefits a national industrial complex would bring to citizens and businesses, there appear to be no special benefits beyond simply lifting the greenbelt designation."
"It would be good if lifting the greenbelt brought prices down and made it easier to attract companies, but if there are concerns about whether land can be sold at the development cost LH cites, approaching 4 million won per 3.3 square meters, is that really realistic?" he asked. The city said it is discussing supply options with LH and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Asked about plans for the former Lotte Department Store site in Masan, Kang said the project is "at a crossroads between public development and private development." He added, "There are project proposals coming in and a review is under way. Now that a task force has been set up, we intend to set a direction and move ahead soon."
Ahead of the news conference, the city presented as its 100-day achievements the resolution of concerns over a city bus strike, the settlement of a dispute over the relocation of the NC Dinos baseball team, and additional KTX train services, among long-pending issues. It also highlighted the introduction of a priority purchase program for vulnerable groups using the Nubi Jeon local currency and preferential seating for vulnerable groups at city-run cultural events.
The city will also foster renewable energy, hydrogen, small modular reactors, artificial intelligence data centers and the defense industry as future growth engines. The strategy calls for building an advanced port city linking Busan Port's new Jinhae port with Arctic shipping routes, while upgrading the manufacturing-centered industrial structure to increase corporate investment and jobs and respond to population decline and a sluggish local economy.
"The past 100 days were a time focused on restoring trust in the administration and attending to citizens' daily lives," Kang said. "For long-pending projects that have drifted for years, we will move quickly to prepare plans to put them back on track."