Expectations for the Daejeon Town Hall Meeting - At the Center of Science and Livelihood

Expectations for the Daejeon Town Hall Meeting - At the Center of Science and Livelihood

The upcoming Daejeon Town Hall Meeting has been selected by President Lee Jae-myung as the second national tour for communication. The event, subtitled 'Listening to the Heart of Chungcheong', is scheduled to be held on July 4, 2025, at the Daejeon Convention Center. This schedule reflects not just a simple public event but also the President's intention to engage directly with citizens, listening to their life stories and incorporating them into policy. Daejeon, not only a geographical center but also a long-standing hub for science and technology, has played a vital role as the heart of national R&D. We anticipate how the President will incorporate the voices from the field into policy through the keywords of science and livelihood during this Town Hall Meeting.

Scientific and Technological City Daejeon – The Heart of National R&D

Daejeon is a key city for Korea's science and technology infrastructure, housing several major national research institutes such as KAIST, ETRI, and IBS. The choice of Daejeon by President Lee Jae-myung is closely related to its symbolism in science and technology. The theme of this meeting is 'direct communication with the science and technology sector', and concerns about the reduction of R&D budgets have been raised within the research community, making the promotion of collaboration between basic research and industry a major demand. Daejeon appropriately highlights these needs and issues. The science and technology sector requires long-term investment and vision rather than short-term results, and it is expected that the president will have the opportunity to listen to these issues and propose countermeasures during this meeting.

Self-Employment and Debt Issues – The Tangible Pain of Daily Life

Another important issue at this town hall is the debt problems faced by self-employed individuals and small businesses. Daejeon is not only a city of science but also has traditional markets and commercial districts that are key components of its economic structure. The increase in debt following COVID-19, coupled with economic contraction, has resulted in significant challenges for self-employed individuals. The presidential office has proposed solutions for alleviating toxic debt as an important agenda item, noting that this is not merely an individual issue but a complex problem involving industrial structure and policy. It is expected that discussions on expanding public financing and streamlining policy loan procedures will take place on-site. The president aims to hear the voices of self-employed individuals directly and connect the hardships of everyday life to policy through an open Q&A session.

A place of substantial transformation, not just a simple form

The Daejeon Town Hall is being recognized as an opportunity for genuine policy transformation rather than a formal event. The communication structure between the president and citizens is designed in an open manner that not only addresses anticipated questions, but also allows for unexpected public opinions to be reflected. In the venue, there is a citizen suggestion form titled 'What I Hope for the President,' enabling citizens to write and submit various issues they want to address. This structure serves as a great opportunity to reflect the voices of citizens who may find it difficult to speak out. This town hall will serve as a model for the various local tour communications that will follow, and it will become an important experimental space that considers the roles of both a science city and a livelihood city.

Conclusion: Questions Create Policies

The Daejeon Town Hall Meeting presents an opportunity to reflect local voices into policy by presenting science, technology, and people's livelihoods. The president's visit to the region and direct communication with citizens through questions will serve as a starting point for restoring the health of politics. It is hoped that this communication will not end as a one-off event, but will lay the foundation for continuous dialogue. The abundance of questions indicates high expectations, which leads to participation and trust. It is hoped that the communication experiment started in Daejeon will spread nationwide and lead to policy changes.