Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok Takes Swift Steps to Secure National Funding

On the 28th, Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do (photo left), met with Kim Hyun-soo, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, to request national funding for six projects, including the restoration of crop disaster insurance compensation levels and the 'Smart Farm Cloud System Construction Project' to realize scientific farming. Photo by Jeonnam Province

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Governor Kim Young-rok of Jeonnam is busy with efforts to urgently resolve important issues for the stability of Jeonnam residents' lives and to implement key strategies that will guarantee Jeonnam's development after COVID-19.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 28th, Governor Kim visited the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Cultural Heritage Administration consecutively to meet with the respective ministers and proposed 20 important regional issues.

Governor Kim first visited the Government Sejong Complex and met consecutively with Moon Sung-hyuk, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, and Kim Hyun-soo, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Governor Kim requested Minister Moon Sung-hyuk to designate the offshore wind power complex area in Sinan-gun as an energy development zone in the marine spatial management plan to establish a Jeonnam-type win-win job foundation.

Additionally, he discussed a total of nine projects including ▲‘Establishment of a foundation for revitalizing Gwangyang Port’ to strengthen the competitiveness of the container terminal at Gwangyang Port ▲construction of the National Maritime and Fisheries Museum ▲construction of the Mokpo Port international car ferry terminal ▲expansion of the online seafood direct transaction base and establishment of a specialized processing and distribution base for fresh fish to respond to the ‘post-COVID-19’ era ▲promotion of export-oriented seaweed processing industry ▲construction of seaweed bioactive material production facilities ▲abalone compound feed processing facility project, and requested national budget allocation.

Minister Moon Sung-hyuk said, “We will reflect the projects for establishing a foundation for revitalizing Gwangyang Port and constructing the Mokpo Port international car ferry terminal, and will actively review the other proposed projects.”

In the meeting with Minister Kim Hyun-soo of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Governor Kim proposed restoring the lowered crop insurance compensation levels from this year back to the levels before last year to provide practical compensation for fruit farmers and others severely affected by this year's low temperature phenomenon.

Along with this, they discussed six projects including ▲construction of a national livestock startup education institution ▲development of autonomous robots for managing duck barn bedding ▲establishment of a smart farm cloud system ▲support for hosting the ‘2021 International Agriculture Expo’ ▲and establishment of a demonstration center for promising new subtropical crops.

Minister Kim Hyun-soo said, “We will actively reflect the smart farm cloud system establishment project to realize scientific farming,” and added, “We will also strive to secure national funding for the other proposed projects.”

Lastly, Governor Kim met with Jeong Jae-sook, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, and expressed gratitude for the Cultural Heritage Administration’s efforts as the Special Act on Historical and Cultural Areas including Mahan, a long-standing wish, passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 20th.

He then requested prompt establishment of the Cultural Heritage Administration’s ‘Basic Plan for the Maintenance of the Mahan Cultural Area,’ excavation and maintenance of burial mounds and other relics, and national funding of 12 billion KRW for the designation of historic sites.

In particular, he asked for cooperation and interest in important pending projects such as ▲the national management transfer of Chungmunsa, the shrine of Admiral Yi Sun-sin ▲restoration of Jeollabyeongyeong Fortress in Gangjin ▲restoration of Naju Eupseong and Naju-mok government office ▲and creation of the Yi Sun-sin Memorial Park on Myodangdo Island in Wando.

Governor Kim emphasized, “I will continue meetings with ministers of related government departments to secure even one more won of next year’s national budget and to ensure that the region’s future strategic projects are reflected in the government’s mid- to long-term national plans, thereby gaining stable momentum for advancing provincial issues.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.