GIMHAE — The city of Gimhae in South Gyeongsang Province unveiled on the 12th its first reorganization plan under the ninth popularly elected local government, adding one bureau, three divisions and nine teams while merging 10 teams with overlapping functions. The plan centers on strengthening policy functions in youth affairs, artificial intelligence and care services, and raising the standing of the city's urban safety organization.
The city said the same day that the reorganization will focus on six areas, including youth and the future, AI-driven administrative innovation, care and welfare services, and building a safe and convenient city. Department names and functions will also be adjusted to match policy directions and the nature of their work.
Youth policy will be placed directly under the mayor. The existing Population and Youth Policy Office will be reorganized into the Youth and Future Policy Office, which will handle the city's designation as a youth-friendly city and policies for middle-aged residents in life transitions.
In welfare, the city will create a dedicated integrated care department and a Senior Welfare Division. The city said the move will strengthen integrated care policies and the welfare safety net, including measures against people dying alone, while expanding senior welfare policy functions in response to an aging society.
A new AI organization will also be set up. The city will form an AI administrative innovation task force and create an Industrial AI Transition Team to drive AI and digital transformation in manufacturing.
On safety, the rank of the director of the Safety and Transport Bureau, which will serve as the city's urban safety control tower, will be raised to Grade 3. The city will also create an Architecture and Housing Bureau to oversee housing policy and a Building Safety Division dedicated to building safety management. The Environment Bureau will be reorganized into the Climate, Energy and Environment Bureau, with a Climate and Energy Division under it. A Companion Animal Team will also be created to run the city's directly operated shelter for abandoned animals and a companion animal welfare center.
The city will additionally create a Youth Growth Support Team, a Conflict Mediation Team, a Labor-Management Support Team, a Health Care Team, a Residential Care Team, a Senior Support Team and a Forest Pest Control Team.
The plan was drawn up by a reorganization task force led by the vice mayor, which gathered views from bureaus, divisions and offices as well as from junior staff. The city will collect residents' opinions during the public notice period for proposed rules and, after administrative procedures including a review by the ordinance and rules deliberation council, plans to submit the ordinance bill to the city council's regular session in November. Once follow-up steps such as the council vote and revisions to local regulations are completed, the plan will take effect in January next year.
"The first reorganization of the ninth popularly elected local government focuses on preparing for youth and the future, innovating how we work through AI, and strengthening inclusion and integrated care to build a Gimhae where all residents prosper together," Mayor Jung Young-doo said. "We will lay the foundation for carrying out a 'Gimhae where we prosper together' and the Gimhae Grand Transformation."