Gwangmyeong to host international forum on community wealth building on Oct 13
Version 2: A third outlet, Newsis, now also reports the forum announcement, framing it as world scholars on the regional circular economy gathering in Gwangmyeong, while the core details of the city's announcement are unchanged.
In short
Gwangmyeong city in Gyeonggi Province said it will hold the 2026 Gwangmyeong International Forum on Community Assetisation on Oct 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of L7 Gwangmyeong by LOTTE Hotel in Iljik-dong. Mayor Park Seung-won will present a local strategy that includes fostering 300 social solidarity economy enterprises by 2028. The city said anyone can attend without advance registration.
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Gwangmyeong city in Gyeonggi Province said on Oct 6 that it will hold the 2026 Gwangmyeong International Forum on Community Assetisation on Oct 13. The event is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of L7 Gwangmyeong by LOTTE Hotel in Iljik-dong, the city said. [ 1 , 2 ]
The city described community assetisation as a strategy that links a region's assets and capabilities so that citizens, small business owners and local companies grow together, according to Asia Economy. Yonhap described it as a circular economy strategy intended to keep economic value created locally from flowing out, so that it continues in local consumption, production and reinvestment. [ 1 , 2 ]
The first session, on domestic and international trends toward a sustainable urban economy, features Neil McInroy, international cooperation lead at The Democracy Collaborative in the United States, who developed the Community Wealth Building theory, Asia Economy reported. Asia Economy also lists Chris Martin, described as a chief executive of a Scottish social enterprise, speaking on assetisation through the social economy, and Samuta Hikaru, a professor at Japan's Kanazawa University, on local circular economy and endogenous development cases. [ 1 , 2 ]
Mayor Park Seung-won will present Gwangmyeong's strategy under the title “Gwangmyeong, opening an urban economy for all,” the city said. Asia Economy reported the plan includes fostering 300 social solidarity economy enterprises by 2028, raising the share of local and social solidarity economy enterprises in public procurement, activating the local brand “Good Morning Gwangmyeong,” and creating local finance and base spaces. [ 1 , 2 ]
In the second session, Anseong mayor Kim Bo-ra, Daejeon Jung-gu head Kim Je-seon and Yeongam county governor Woo Seung-hee will present their regions' cases and results, the city said. A roundtable chaired by Hanyang University professor Kim Jong-geol will then discuss the tasks of community assetisation and the role of local governments, and promotional booths for social solidarity economy enterprises will be set up in the lobby, according to Asia Economy. [ 1 , 2 ]
The city said the forum is open to anyone without advance registration. Newsis, in a headline, also reported that scholars on the regional circular economy would gather in Gwangmyeong on the 13th. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The forum is where Gwangmyeong plans to set out a municipal strategy for keeping economic value circulating locally, with targets running to 2028. It also brings together foreign and domestic practitioners, so the city presents its approach as a model other local governments can compare against. The documents state no concrete outcome beyond the event itself; this is an announcement of plans and discussion.
Key facts
- Gwangmyeong city will hold the 2026 Gwangmyeong International Forum on Community Assetisation on Oct 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of L7 Gwangmyeong by LOTTE Hotel in Iljik-dong. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Community assetisation is described as a strategy in which locally generated economic value does not flow out but continues in local consumption, production and reinvestment. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Mayor Park Seung-won will present Gwangmyeong's community assetisation strategy under the title “Gwangmyeong, opening an urban economy for all.” [ 1 , 2 ]
- The strategy includes fostering 300 social solidarity economy enterprises by 2028, expanding the share of local and social solidarity economy enterprises in public procurement, activating the local brand “Good Morning Gwangmyeong,” and creating local finance and base spaces, according to Asia Economy. [ 1 ]
- Neil McInroy of The Democracy Collaborative in the United States, who developed the Community Wealth Building theory, will speak on international policy trends and implications. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Anseong mayor Kim Bo-ra, Daejeon Jung-gu head Kim Je-seon and Yeongam county governor Woo Seung-hee will present their regions' cases, followed by a roundtable chaired by Hanyang University professor Kim Jong-geol. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city said the forum is open to anyone without advance registration. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Newsis reported that scholars on the regional circular economy would gather in Gwangmyeong on the 13th. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The forum will be held on Oct 13 at L7 Gwangmyeong by LOTTE Hotel in Iljik-dong. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Mayor Park Seung-won will present a Gwangmyeong strategy that includes fostering 300 social solidarity economy enterprises by 2028. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Neil McInroy of The Democracy Collaborative, who developed the Community Wealth Building theory, will take part. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Other local government heads, including the mayors of Anseong and Daejeon Jung-gu and the Yeongam county governor, will share policy cases and hold a roundtable. [ 1 , 2 ]
- No advance registration is required to attend. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- The identity of the “Scotland social enterprise chief executive” named Chris Martin who is scheduled to speak Only Asia Economy names him and describes him as a chief executive of a Scottish social enterprise without naming the organisation; Yonhap refers only to British and Japanese experts.
- Which countries' experts attend Asia Economy lists speakers from the United States, Scotland and Japan, while Yonhap refers to American, British and Japanese experts; the documents do not reconcile the British and Scottish references.
- What the forum is expected to produce beyond discussion Both the city and the outlets describe sessions, speakers and a roundtable only; no decisions, agreements or follow-up measures are stated.
- What Newsis reported about the forum in detail Newsis's headline concerns the forum, but the article text carried by the document is about an unrelated National Assembly audit of the Supreme Court, so no forum specifics can be drawn from it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy publishes its report on the forum, including the programme and the mayor's 2028 targets. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap publishes its report on the same forum, confirming the date, venue and participants. [ 2 ]
- The 2026 Gwangmyeong International Forum on Community Assetisation is scheduled to begin at the Grand Ballroom of L7 Gwangmyeong by LOTTE Hotel on Oct 13. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Newsis publishes its report referring to the gathering of regional circular economy scholars in Gwangmyeong. [ 3 ]