Gyeongju Mayor Joo Reveals ‘Centennial Vision for Future’

Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young explains the direction of city administration, including growth strategies to lead the future of Gyeongju and a vision for the next four years, in a meeting with reporters at Alcheon Hall in Gyeongju City Hall on July 15.

Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young stressed attracting SMRs to Gyeongju during a meeting with reporters held on July 15.

“The central government is showing a strong will to construct additional small modular reactors (SMRs) in the 12th Basic Electric Power Supply Plan,” Joo said in the meeting.

In response to a question regarding what policies Joo plans to pursue regarding SMRs in the future, he pointed out, “The central government is continuously mentioning mega-projects, but in fact, how to secure electricity in the era of an AI transformation is a national task. As a result, even the political circles that previously advocated for phasing out nuclear power are now changing their minds.”

“Nuclear power policies including SMR policies are urgent and important matters, both in terms of national policies and laying the foundation for Gyeongju’s economic growth,” Joo added.

“I will make this a top priority and promote and complete it.”

In addition, Mayor Joo revealed his vision to concentrate his efforts on connecting the achievements of the APEC Summit in the tourism sector to the city’s sustainable growth engine.

To this end, Joo will promote the construction of APEC Memorial Hall and National Symbol Forest, the establishment and regularization of the World Gyeongju Forum, a major renovation of the Bomun Tourist Complex, and the establishment of the APEC Diplomatic and Cultural Center.

By doing so, the mayor intends to lay the groundwork for a global tourism city where international conferences and cultural tourism coexist and to begin to pump up efforts to grow Gyeongju into one of the world’s top 10 tourist cities.

In the industrial sector, nuclear power and future automobiles will be fostered as the city’s two major growth engines.

The plan is to enhance future industrial competitiveness by establishing the K-Nuclear Energy Innovation Cluster through the development of the second phase of the King Munmu Science Research Institute, the SMR National Industrial Complex, the Global Nuclear Joint Campus, and the SMR Manufacturing Support Center and Certification Support Center, and by building a future automobile innovation ecosystem centered on the Angang RE100 e-Mobility Industrial Complex, the Geoncheon Free Economic Zone, and the Oedong Future Car Materials, Parts, and Equipment Complex.

Gyeongju Vice Mayor Choi Hyeok-jun poses with Tran Song Tùng, standing vice chairman of the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee Gyeongju City, and other delegates at a welcome luncheon meeting for a delegation from Ninh Binh Province on July 21. (Photos: Gyeongju City)

Visit by Delegation from Ninh Binh Province of Vietnam

Gyeongju City and Vietnam’s Ninh Binh Province have set out to expand exchanges and cooperation in the fields of world heritage preservation and utilization as well as culture and tourism.

Gyeongju City announced on July 22 that it hosted a welcome luncheon meeting at a local restaurant for a delegation from Ninh Binh Province including Tran Song Tùng, standing vice chairman of the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee on July 21.

Both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in the fields of world heritage preservation and utilization as well as culture and tourism.

The delegation’s visit to Gyeongju took place following the Ninh Binh delegation’s attendance at the 48th meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Busan.

The delegation visited Gyeongju after completing their schedule for the meeting.

Gyeongju and Ninh Binh Province began exchanges following mutual delegation visits in 2025. Based on their shared status as historic and cultural cities possessing UNESCO world heritage sites, the two cities have continued cooperation in cultural heritage preservation and tourism.

Gyeongju Vice Mayor Choi Hyeok-jun and Gyeongju City Council Cultural City Committee Chairman Park Gwang-ho discussed ways to expand exchanges and cooperation in the fields of world heritage preservation and utilization and culture and tourism with members of the delegation from Ninh Binh Province in the welcome luncheon meeting.