Minister Park Sang-woo of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 29th, "The challenges facing the Ministry are by no means light, including the polarization of the housing market, concentration in the metropolitan area and regional extinction, aging and low birth rates, climate crisis, and industrial transition."
Minister Park noted at the farewell ceremony held at the Government Sejong City Hall at 2 p.m. that, "It is not a light step for me to leave behind the tasks that the Ministry must handle, and these tasks are not merely policy issues but heavy responsibilities directly related to the lives of the people and the future of the country."
On the same day, Minister Park reflected, "It has truly been a rewarding experience as a minister to outline the blueprint of national projects that will design the future of our national space, such as the redevelopment of the first-generation new towns and the undergrounding of railways, and to be able to usher in the era of GTX that will change the transportation landscape of the metropolitan area."
Additionally, Minister Park emphasized, "Even amid a global economic downturn, our continuous efforts to knock on the door of the overseas construction market have yielded a valuable result of $1 trillion in cumulative orders, thanks to your relentless efforts and dedication. The proactive measures taken by the Ministry for victims who lost their homes due to charter fraud and delivery workers suffering from overwork left a profound impact."
However, Minister Park stated that, as a minister, "not everything was easy." He added, "The 12.29 passenger aircraft disaster left an indelible pain for all of us, and we had to stay up day and night to support the families of the victims. The successive accidents such as the construction site of the Shin-Ansan Line and the collapse of the bridge on the Sejong-Anseong Expressway have served as a reminder of what our most fundamental duty is, which is to ensure the life and safety of the people."
Furthermore, Minister Park remarked, "Even amid unprecedented national turmoil such as martial law and presidential impeachment, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has never faltered and has done its best in fulfilling its responsibilities." He continued, "Your unwavering efforts in administration, directly related to the lives of the people in housing, construction, transportation, and logistics, are a testament to the dignity of national administration and a pillar of trust in the government."
Minister Park left a plea to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: "Do not be afraid of change and innovation." He urged, "I hope you approach your work with a proactive attitude, always embracing new challenges, and work to create 'one Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport' through collaboration, trust, and sincere communication that transcends departmental barriers."
Minister Park stated, "I hope a work culture can be established that earns the trust of the people," adding that, "The Ministry should continue to create changes that the public can feel in their daily lives amid the changing tides of the times and firmly establish its role as a key player in designing the balanced development and sustainability of the nation."