Ulsan Nam-gu (Mayor Dong-wook Seo) announced on the 21st that it had received the “Top Innovative Local Government Leader Award” at the “2025 Korea Local Autonomy Innovation Awards,” hosted by
The Daehan Economic News Co., Ltd. and sponsored by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee and the National Association of Mayors in Korea.

Nam-gu was evaluated as having achieved balanced innovation outcomes across all administrative fields this year and for having successfully embedded innovation throughout overall district administration. Previously, in 2022, Nam-gu had also received the Grand Prize in the “Cultural Innovation” category.

Leveraging Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone, the only one of its kind in the country, Nam-gu has developed unique tourism brands that encompass whale ecology, history, hands-on experiences, and sightseeing, as well as the Ulsan Whale Festival and Jangsaengpo Hydrangea Festival. Since the opening of the Whale Museum in 2005, cumulative visitor numbers have surpassed 15 million.

Nam-gu has also secured re-certification as an International Safe Community and obtained “ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems” certification, establishing a safety management framework that meets global standards. Furthermore, by using advanced technologies, such as the “AI Care Robot Jangsaeng-i” project to prevent lonely deaths among elderly people living alone, the installation of “AI thermal imaging CCTV” for electric vehicle fire monitoring at nine locations including the
Mugeoseomdeul public parking lot, and the establishment of an “ICT-based integrated river management platform,” the district has strengthened its safety net and raised everyday safety levels.
By improving areas designated as natural disaster risk zones, installing flood barriers for homes and shops, institutionalizing regular maintenance of rainwater gutters and catch basins, and enhancing community-based preventive activities such as creating safe villages, Nam-gu has reinforced its climate crisis response infrastructure. As a result, its policy innovation and effectiveness have been recognized externally through numerous awards, including: Four consecutive years as an Excellent Institution in Disaster Management Evaluation, Two consecutive years as an Excellent Institution in the Safe Korea Training, A Minister of the Interior and Safety Award.

To eliminate welfare blind spots, Nam-gu has established a virtuous cycle of donations through the “
Sharing Angel Fund,” created with the voluntary participation of local residents. It also implemented the “Hope ON-na” project, converting convenience stores into neighborhood-based welfare hubs for the first time in the country, and expanded this into the “
Youth Happiness in Nam-gu: Maeum Deun Deun+” project, which supports the social reintegration of at-risk, isolated young people. Through these initiatives, the district has realized welfare security that can be tangibly felt by all generations.

In addition, to strengthen the self-sufficiency and competitiveness of local alley commercial districts, Nam-gu has produced alley business maps, expanded relay alley festivals, and, for the first time in Ulsan, relaxed the criteria for designating alley-type shopping districts. It has also intensified practical, multi-layered support such as revitalizing traditional markets, providing tailored assistance to small business owners, creating “Happy Nam-gu？style” jobs, and building a vibrant city for young people.

Nam-gu mayor Dong-wook Seo of Nam-gu stated, “This award is the result of recognition for the administrative innovation and livelihood-centered policies that Ulsan Nam-gu has been pursuing,” adding, “We will further strengthen our innovation capabilities and continue to create changes that residents can truly feel in their daily lives.”