5 Key Strategies Myung Chang-hwan Proposes to Transform Yeosu into an Energy and Tourism Hub

On March 10th, Myung Chang-hwan, former Vice Governor of South Jeolla Province, announced his candidacy for Mayor of Yeosu at a press briefing in Yeosu City Hall. / Myung Chang-hwan, former Vice Governor of South Jeolla Province
[The Fact | Yeosu = Byeong-chae Ko, Reporter] Myung Chang-hwan has officially declared his candidacy for the Yeosu mayoral election.

According to Myung, he held a press conference on the morning of March 10th at the Yeosu City Hall briefing room. He stated, “I will restore the greatness of Yeosu through a transformative approach that simultaneously revitalizes industry, improves livelihoods, and enhances energy sectors.”

Myung diagnosed Yeosu’s current situation as a structural crisis, highlighting issues such as declining industrial complex utilization rates, decreasing tourist numbers, and population outflow. He emphasized, “We’ve moved past the stage of temporary fixes; we need a fundamental transformation that rejuvenates industry, improves quality of life, and secures our future.”

Leveraging his 30 years of public service experience, Myung presented himself as a “prepared administrator.” He detailed his leadership in securing federal budgets and addressing regional issues, citing his roles as Vice Governor of South Jeolla Province, Director of Planning and Coordination, and Deputy Mayor of Suncheon. Myung asserted, “Yeosu now needs leadership that delivers results and takes responsibility, not just empty rhetoric.”

He expressed his commitment to collaborating with the ruling party and aligning with the Lee Jae-myung administration to actively secure necessary budgets and policies for the region.

If elected mayor, Myung plans to implement an emergency economic response system from day one, personally overseeing industrial, energy, and livelihood issues. His key industrial proposals include diversifying from a petrochemical-centric model to focus on robotics, semiconductors, and battery industries, establishing specialized zones for materials, parts, and equipment, developing a hydrogen energy value chain, and creating an industrial complex mayor’s office.

In the energy sector, Myung outlined plans to establish an Energy Policy Bureau, develop a comprehensive renewable energy strategy, expand offshore wind and solar power, promote energy-independent islands, and attract RE100 industrial complexes to position Yeosu as a climate and energy hub. He also aims to transform the fishing industry into a high-value sector, connecting production to export through advanced strategies like smart aquaculture and land-based sea grape farming.

Myung’s citizen-focused policies include free public transportation during rush hours, expanding affordable housing for young adults to 300 units, creating a dedicated team for single-person households, developing regional park golf courses, attracting major retailers, introducing free bus rides for seniors over 70, and increasing job opportunities for the elderly. He stated, “I will create a Yeosu where workplaces, residential areas, and leisure spaces are all comfortable and accessible.”

For infrastructure development, Myung aims to establish a hub airport, advance the Yeosu-Suncheon expressway project, and launch a cruise route between Yeosu and Japan to elevate the city as an international gateway on the southern coast. He also plans to transform the Yeosu World Expo site into an international maritime cultural platform featuring a K-pop arena and a maritime opera venue, as well as bid to host the G20 summit.

Myung concluded, “I will unite the industrial complex, energy sector, livelihoods, tourism, islands, and urban areas to reinvigorate Yeosu. I commit to being a mayor who takes responsibility, not just one who makes promises.”

kde3200@tf.co.kr