[Local and Beyond] Gwangju, ceramic city in Gyeonggi, aims to become new center of classical music

GWANGJU, Gyeonggi Province -- Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, has long been a cultural hot spot.

Having been famous for its ceramic production since the Joseon era, it has now set a new course in aiming to become the global center of classical music, the mayor says.

“Gwangju will host the 2024 World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) Conference next year for the first time in Korea," said Bang Se-hwan in an interview with The Korea Herald.

“In July last year, it competed with several cities, including Toronto, Canada, and Gwangju was selected as the final venue. At least 200,000 people are expected to gather in Gwangju during the event.”

Bang, who took office in July last year, hopes the biennial world-class music festival will raise Gwangju's cultural profile, beyond ceramics and the Namhansanseong fortress it is already famous for.

The music festival in previous years has drawn more than 200,000 musicians and visitors from more than 50 countries to enjoy performances, seminars and exhibitions over its five-day run.

Performances at historic sites including Namhansanseong and Paldang Lake, will give the audience the chance to enjoy music in beautiful natural surroundings during the conference, Bang says.

“Not many people in the world have heard of Gwangju. Many people would be confused with Gwangju Metropolitan City. However, Gwangju is one of the oldest cities in Korea with a history of 1,000 years, and has enough charm, including Namhansanseong and Joseon White Porcelain Kiln Site, to attract people from all over the world,” Bang said.

Gwangju played an essential role in each period since it was founded. During the Joseon era, it was chosen as an emergency capital, leading to the construction of Namhansanseong. The fortress' well-preserved castle walls are part of the reason it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage in June 2014.

Ceramics used by the Joseon royal family were fired here from 1752 to 1884. For more than 130 years until the end of the Joseon era, 285 kiln sites flourished in this area.

However, Bang stressed that additional preparations are needed to take the city forward.

“There are not many accommodations in Gwangju, including hotels," he said. "This is due to overlapping regulations hanging over Gwangju for a long time.”

Since the entire city was designated as a water source protection area and a nature conservation area, Bang says it was difficult to start almost any development project. The Paldang reservoir serves as an important water source for the some 23 million people in the Greater Seoul area.

The slow urban development in Gwangju meant there were not enough factories or universities to create jobs, Bang laments.

“Gwangju has been forced to make special sacrifices for decades in the name of protecting the Paldang water supply. But the central government should no longer impose those sacrifices on certain areas," Bang said.

"Laws and systems that hinder balanced development should be fundamentally improved so Gwangju can develop into a self-sufficient city. At the same time, sufficient compensation and support measures should be prepared. The central government must compensate Gwangju citizens by providing exceptional support for residents' support projects.”

To spearhead development, Bang is in charge of a task force that is working to remove red tape and lift regulations that hinder the city's development.

He is also a co-representative in a consultative policy body that aims to promote development around the Han River basin cities and counties. Launched in February, the Han River Sarang Forum consists of local lawmakers, heads of local governments, councilors and expert groups from Gwangju, Icheon, Yeoju, Yangpyeong and Gapyeong.

The forum holds a bimonthly meeting to identify and seek to overcome regulatory obstacles the local governments face.

“As co-representative of this forum, I will work hard to ensure that alternatives derived through the forum can be linked to legislation or government policies,” Bang added.

Bang stresses that deregulation is essential for Gwangju to accommodate its growing population.

Gwangju's population has increased by about 40 percent from 2013. About 1.43 million people live there as of May, according to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.

Bang attributed the growth to the influx of people drawn to the more affordable housing prices compared to nearby large cities such as Seoul, Seongnam and Yongin.

“However, Gwangju does not have the infrastructure, especially transportation infrastructure, to accommodate the rapid population growth due to those regulations,” he said.

Bang has some ideas on how to improve Gwangju's connectivity that he hopes he can bring to fruition during his term.

“I will try to reorganize the bus route system and extend the Gyeonggang Line and Line No. 8 to various parts of Gwangju," he said.

Profile

Mayor Bang Se-hwan began his political career in 2018 by winning a Gwangju City Council seat. After serving his term, he was elected as mayor in July 2022. A Gwangju native, Bang has worked extensively with environmentalists to protect the region from water pollution and deforestation for years before entering politics.

This is the fifth installment in a series of interviews with heads of municipalities in Korea, exploring the policy commitments of local governments in promoting balanced development and regional competitiveness. — Ed.