Won Hee-ryong

Mr. Won Hee-ryong was elected Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province in 2014 with 60.3 percent of the vote. Since then he has been working on the goal of "Carbon-free Island" by 2030, in which all petrol-fueled automobiles will be converted into electric vehicles.

Advancing the value of Jeju’s nature and culture, he endeavors to strike a balance between development and conservation; simultaneously, he is collaborating with local governments in the Asia Pacific Region to promote culture as a pivotal factor to enhance citizens’ quality of life.

In 2000, at the age of 34, he was elected as Assembly Member of the 16th Korean National Assembly where he served for three consecutive terms. After graduating at the top of his class in the law school of Seoul National University, he practiced as a prosecutor for four years. 

In 2016 he was re-elected for a second consecutive 2-year term as President of UCLG-ASPAC. Governor Won earned his Master’s Degree from School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Hanyang University, and received an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science from Jeju National University.
 

We live in an era where culture has become a growth engine. This means that we need to increase the value of our cultures.Culture can revitalize our communities, leading to an acceleration of progress. Leadership and the capacity of local governments make a big difference in this regard. The Bogota Congress will serve as an ideal platform for sharing ideas related to urban transformation, local economies and the quality of city life.