United Nations Public Service Awards Case Studies

Miryang city, a small city Located in the southern part of Korea with a land area of 798.94㎢ and population of 110,266 is blessed with breathtaking views of nature as well as cultural and historic tourism resources.

Miryang city is equipped with sophisticated infrastructure such as an automatic waste processing system and an IT system for the improvement of river water quality, based on which it has been able to preserve its beautiful river with clean water, thick-wooded mountains and fresh air. These environmental advantages, however, have not ensured an economically stable life for ordinary citizens and Miryang city is relatively unknown to outsiders in comparison to other big cities in the vicinity.

In addition to its superior environmental infrastructure, Miryang city boasts of excellent access to surrounding cities (Busan, Daegu, and Ulsan) within 30 minutes thanks to a cross-shaped highway that goes in all directions. Despite these potentials for future growth, Miryang city has lagged behind other cities in terms of development of economic infrastructure. Due mainly to an urban structure oriented towards primary industries, as can be seen by the lack of factories or businesses that can employ young people, let alone leisure facilities available for the local inhabitants. Consequently, there has been an increasing prevalence for more and more people to leave the city for more industrialized cities in the vicinity in search of jobs and a better quality of life.

Statistics show that as many as 15,000 people, or more than 10% of the total population, have left the city over the past 10 years, especially young people, thereby creating a lop sided demographic structure with fewer young people. There is even a sense of crisis among Miryang city villagers as to the whether the place can continue to exist as a local autonomous entity and there has been a massive civic outcry for local economic development. However, public servants in the municipal government have remained inactive in responding to the request for change and innovation, ascribing the failure to meet the basic demands of citizens to a lack of financial resources.

What is the initiative about? (the solution)
Eom Yong-su, the mayor of Miryang city elected by the local citizens in 2006, commenced the “Revive Miryang city” project to address the feeling of discontent and sense of crisis among citizens under the Initiative called 「Land of Heavenly Blessings, Mirpia」. Miryang Municipal City introduced business marketing strategies and a program for administrative responsibility, which are not common in public institutions, to accomplish the main objectives of the Initiative, 『To reduce the outflow of local citizens to other cities and to encourage the inflow of people to Miryang city』. Based on the brand called「Mirpia」 and the slogan of 「Land of Heavenly Blessings」, the City commenced efforts to raise national grant, attract businesses and to earn trust among citizens for its administrative services. As a result of a rigorous implementation of the Initiative, the City was able to attract 168 new businesses and factories with 5,870 new employees to a customized factory complex site of 6,600,000m2, currently in use or under construction (142 business with 4,066 employees as of the end of 2006). Other accomplishments achieved under this Initiative, among many, include attracting five large social welfare facilities and civic center; initiating a trend of conducting a variety of artistic performances such as plays, operas and music concerts; expanding income from the export of agricultural products; and being selected as the location for the undertaking of national projects. The most remarkable success has been that citizens and public servants have boosted mutual trust and understanding by participating jointly in the Initiative. As a result, they have become more hopeful and confident of accomplishing whatever tasks are necessary to achieve their common goals.

Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
(1) Solution provider: Eom Yong-su, the Mayor of Miryang city (2) Implementer: Planning and Auditing Manager, Administrative Manager, Cultural Tourism Manager, Economic Investment Manager Permission Manager, Gym Facilities Project Supervisor, other respective officials (3) Concerned Parties: Investment Attraction Support Committee, Miryang Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizaton of Korea, Joint Brand Deliberation Committee, Informationization Village, Local Affinity Business Division

Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
a. What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The success factor of the Initiative was to introduce and push ahead with marketing strategies and an administrative responsibility program, which are not common in public institutions. The major strategies of the Initiative are 『ⓛ to actively search for potential investors, businesses and budget execution officers in central government rather than to rely on the budget regularly assigned based on the population and its income. ② to aggressively promote and advertise the future potential of Miryang city, including its vast lands, well-preserved environment, easy access to large cities, well-established network of road to central government, businesses and people ③ to establish a customized factory complex site that the City purchased from local villagers and to make it immediately available for sale to incoming businesses. This was done to rectify the previous practice in which a land purchase deal was often not completed due to a price hike in lands possessed by villagers when a new factory was built in Miryang and an excessive amount of time to obtain a permit to turn the farmland into a factory site. ④to build trust for the administration among citizens in Miryang city ⑤to introduce HR policy changes and education programs to bolster the virtues of responsibility, integrity and friendliness among public servants

b. What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
For the successful implementation of the Initiative, the Mayor, Eom Yong-su decisively eliminated the previous administrative style of which public servants passively waited for a budget to be assigned by the central government. Instead, he designated every Thursday ‘Marketing Day’ when they actively promote and publicize the present status of Miryang city as well as its future potential to concerned public servants in central government by directly contacting them. Consequently, Miryang city was able to obtain the investment and support required to establish a customized land for attracting factories without imposing a financial burden on the local government and its autonomy. Miryang city was even able to generate profits from the lot sale of land revenues of which were used for investment in other projects. In addition, the city’s aggressive marketing efforts bore the additional fruit of receiving about 5 million US dollars in revenues from the central government for the construction of large social welfare facilities and civic center, including a retreat center for adolescents and a library, which will enrich the lives of citizens and provide them with more leisure and cultural opportunities. In addition, the City organized the 'Investment Attraction Support Committee,’ participated in by local entrepreneurs, professors, ordinary citizens and other distinguished figures born in Miryang, to collect public opinion, coordinate conflicts and establish a collaborative system between citizens and the administration for the common goal of attracting more businesses into the city. In particular, the City conducted a campaign of 「Public subscription of target locations for attracting businesses」 to attract the voluntary participation of ordinary citizens in order to entice new businesses into the city, thus minimizing possible conflicts between businesses and villagers and paving the way for providing incoming business with the necessary land for factories or other industrial facilities.

c. What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
In the initial stage of implementing this Initiative, there was a cynicism and skepticism among public servants and ordinary citizens towards the project. Many wondered if ⓛ busy officials in central government and business executives would be willing to meet public servants from a small municipal city ② if it was not wasteful to spend city’s budget on the public promotion and advertisement of Miryang city (as commercial companies do). ③ if businesses would ever really move to Miryang city because of the legacy of regionalism in Korea. However, Miryang city was given a number of boosts by the following events: central government officials and business representatives making on site visits; a premier movie called “Secret Shine, Miryang” which garnered the best actress award at the Canne International Film Festival; the acquisition of the bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics by a badminton player from Miryang city. The website of the municipal city was able to share the news of successes and gain the encouragement, support and cooperation of local citizens. The success story did not come without difficulties. The municipal city once faced a number of unfortunate crises including the near closure of the 6,600,000m2 customized factory site due to the rigorous laws and regulations of central government regarding water supply and drainage, waste water treatment facilities, road construction and land settlement. However, mayor Eom and private businesses did not give up and frequently visited central government offices, eventually overcoming these obstacles through their tireless patience and persistence.

d. What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
The primary resources of this Initiative are human resources, including public servants who are committed, with a passionate sense of duty, to make Miryang city one of the most sophisticated cities in Korea. A marvelous education program aimed at creating a paradigm shift in thinking and behavior among rather passive and unresponsive public servants through new HR policies such as “Real-Name Duty System (that makes every public servant reveal his or her name and respective duties on the municipal city website)” to reshape the organization into one that ensures the integrity and kindness of public servants when they are carrying out administrative works while eliminating unnecessary or redundant works and reinforcing a sense of responsibility through the administrative responsibility program. No financial resources were required to effect changes in the way public servants perform their duties. The strong leadership and fervent desire of mayor of Miryang city to promote well-being and quality of life among citizens successfully encouraged voluntary participation among working-level public officials. A strict performance-based reward and punishment program also contributed to the success of the Initiative. Establishing a customized factory site required a substantial amount of funding. Initially, the central government grants and private investment were the only source of funding. However, as the project progressed, the city generated profits from selling land to incoming businesses. Meanwhile, the marketing budget was spent mostly on promotional marketing through productive activities such as attracting film-making, cultivating badminton players and hosting international festivals rather than on mass media advertising, so the cost of marketing activities was covered by the budget assigned to the local council.

Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
1) Sustainability The Initiative will be sustainable and permanent as its success stemmed from factors such as a paradigm shift in thinking among public servants and changes in systematic marketing policies. Miryang city is expected to develop into a well-known international city, like Hong Kong or Singapore, in 10 years through the sustained implementation of the Initiative. 2) Transferability The Initiative, ongoing over the past three years, is characterized by a big improvement in the sense of responsibility, professionalism and integrity among public servants. Our example of carrying out this initiative is being closely watched by other local autonomous governments and there has been an increase in the level of civil satisfaction with the administrative institutions of Miryang city since the implementation of the initiative. The success of the initiative was achieved by actively engaging in respective tasks as well as providing the education and opportunities for citizens and public servants to come up with optimal solutions for the local community. Our example will serve as an exemplary case of how public servants in local autonomous governments are able to achieve economic development and to enhance the quality of life of citizens. ○ Awards and Honors • 2009 Excellent Local Autonomous Entity --- sponsored by: Korea Economic Daily, hosted by: Secretariat for Evaluation of Local Autonomy Satisfaction • 2008 Best Brand Selected by Female Consumers (Mirpia) - sponsored by: Daily Sports, hosted by: Household Life (magazine) • 2008 Outstanding Figure of the Year (Mayor of Miryang city) – sponsored and hosted by: Herald Economic Daily • 2007~2008, Grand Prize for Institutional Integrity for two consecutive years - sponsored and hosted by: Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government •Others awarded by central government: "Building charming village" and more

What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
With the advent of the era of global competition, we have recognized the necessity of engaging in unlimited competition against not only competing domestic cities but also other cities around the globe to achieve success in exporting local agricultural products, invigorating the local economy, and enhancing the quality of life of citizens. The success of Miryang city has demonstrated how passionate and creative public servants in local governments are able to bring about change in local autonomous entities. Now, no villager in Miryang city is against or doubtful about building the Land of Heavenly Blessings, where a well-preserved natural environment, superior cultural heritages and industrial factories are able to coexist and prosper with citizens and public servants working collaboratively and cooperatively towards the common objective of building a world class city. The Initiative is considered as one of the best practical cases for local autonomous entities seeking entry into the category of large city by surmounting challenges faced by smaller one.


Institution Name:		Major of Miryang
Institution Type:		Government Agency
Contact Person:		Hyo Gyoung Kim
Title:		Mirpia project staff
Telephone/ Fax:		82-55-359-5147
Institution's / Project's Website:		82-55-359-5114
E-mail:		chang5758@hanmail.net
Address:		Gyo-dong 1000-1
Postal Code:		627-701
City:		Miryang
State/Province:		Gyeongsangnam-do
Country:

The Problem

Solution and Key Benefits

Actors and Stakeholders

(a) Strategies

(b) Implementation

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

(d) Use of Resources

Sustainability and Transferability

Lessons Learned

Contact Information