Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok: "Ending COVID-19 Next Year Is Top Priority... Will Fully Commit to Economic Recovery"

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, stated, “This year, we have tirelessly worked to ensure the safety of residents and secure future growth engines amid COVID-19 and disasters,” adding, “Next year, we will do our best to achieve the eight major strategies?Clean, Green, Bio, Advanced, Attractive, Top, Happy, and Connected Jeonnam?to realize the provincial government’s goals.”

On the 28th, Governor Kim said, “As a major achievement of this year’s provincial administration, we opened an era of a main budget of 9.2 trillion won and a national treasury budget of 7.7 trillion won,” emphasizing, “In particular, we secured a record-high 190 national public projects and 1.6343 trillion won in national funds.”

He also explained, “We attracted 13 national and public institutions and centers, including the National Cardiovascular Center, Biohealth Convergence Knowledge Industry Center, and Korea Sports Talent Development Institute.”

The province is currently driving the success of the Korean New Deal by including 57 projects worth 284.9 billion won, such as the core project of the new millennium future vision ‘Blue Economy’?the ‘LNG Ship Cryogenic Insulation System Demonstration’?under the government’s Korean New Deal.

Jeonnam has been selected as an ‘Excellent Job Municipality’ for six consecutive years and achieved notable results by attracting investments from 245 companies totaling 4.9106 trillion won despite the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis.

It also established a stable income foundation for agriculture and fisheries, achieving 30 billion won in sales from eco-friendly agricultural product packages and the Namdo Market. Furthermore, it realized resident-first policies through happiness initiatives that all residents, including youth, women, children, and the elderly, can feel.

For next year’s provincial administration direction, a blueprint was presented to actively promote the eight major strategies of Clean and Green, Bio and Advanced, Attractive and Top, Happy and Connected Jeonnam, aiming to realize ‘a newer, cleaner, and happier top Jeonnam.’

First, as the inaugural year of the 2050 carbon neutrality declaration and for ‘Clean Jeonnam,’ the province plans to lead the transition to a carbon-neutral society in line with domestic and international climate change responses and strengthen greenhouse gas and fine dust measures that residents can feel.

To this end, the plans include ▲declaring 2050 as the inaugural year for Jeonnam’s carbon neutrality push ▲promoting the hosting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) centered in Yeosu in the southern coastal region ▲supporting the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo.

To lead the global new energy industry as ‘Green Jeonnam,’ the province plans to lead the global energy market in line with the government’s ‘Green New Deal.’

Plans include ▲promoting a renewable energy project with resident shareholders and basic income type ▲establishing an 8.2GW large-scale offshore wind power complex ▲building an offshore wind ‘convergence industrialization’ platform ▲creating an RE100 dedicated pilot national industrial complex ▲normal opening of Korea Energy Engineering University in 2022.

For ‘Bio Jeonnam,’ the future life industry hub, the province will lead the bio and agricultural life industries by utilizing the full-cycle infrastructure of the Hwasun vaccine industry and the strengths of the nation’s largest eco-friendly agricultural and marine products production.

In particular, in the bio sector, the focus will be on ▲attracting a national advanced medical complex ▲promoting the K-Immunity Biomedical Innovation Valley ▲early construction of the National Cardiovascular Center ▲attracting a national medical school ▲concentrated development of the Well-Aging Human Healthcare Valley.

In agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors, projects include ▲distributing the new rice variety ‘Saecheongmu’ to expand rice production ▲establishing a forward base for eco-friendly agricultural products in the metropolitan area ▲proposing improvements to crop disaster insurance ▲stabilizing prices and supply of six items including radish, cabbage, and garlic ▲promoting high value-added convergence industrialization and export industries ▲completion of the Goheung Smart Farm Innovation Valley ▲attracting a climate change response research complex ▲achieving a 300 million dollar seaweed export project ▲achieving 50 billion won in Namdo Market sales and 5 million dollars in Amazon sales.

To lead science and technology and research and development as ‘Advanced Jeonnam,’ the province will create a science and technology ecosystem that brings a bright future for young people and revolutionary development for Jeonnam’s science and technology.

Plans include ▲attracting an ultra-high-power laser center ▲building a space launch vehicle industry cluster ▲securing the future personal flying vehicle industry ▲establishing an advanced e-mobility process base ▲promoting an eco-friendly coastal ship cluster ▲major redevelopment of the Gwangyang Bay industrial complex ▲upgrading traditional core industries such as petrochemicals, steel, and shipbuilding.

For ‘Attractive Jeonnam,’ an ecological, stay-type, culture, food, and family tourism hub, the province plans to create income through stay-type ecological tourism by converging Jeonnam’s culture, arts, and ecological resources.

Projects include ▲promoting the Jeonnam Tourism Year ▲activating stay-type ecological tourism ▲implementing the Korea Tourism Integrated Package Project (KTTP) ▲establishing the National Subtropical Arboretum ▲creating world-class accommodation facilities ▲reflecting the new southern coastal growth tourism belt in the national plan ‘Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development’ basic concept.

For ‘Top Jeonnam,’ where Jeonnam’s identity is its competitiveness, efforts will focus on restoring village communities with pride in history, culture, arts, and righteousness, and fostering talent to create a vibrant Jeonnam.

Specifically, plans include ▲reflecting the Mahan Historical and Cultural Zone maintenance project in the national plan ▲establishing the Namdo Uprising History Museum ▲successfully hosting the 2021 Jeonnam International Ink Biennale ▲opening the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art ▲implementing the Clean Jeonnam Top Village project ▲promoting the New Millennium Talent Development Project ▲holding the Kim Dae-jung Peace Conference and creating the World Peace Park.

Alongside this, for ‘Happy Jeonnam,’ the province plans to create a safe and ‘people-centered’ happy Jeonnam where all residents are protected from disasters and calamities.

Measures include ▲expanding proactive diagnostic testing ▲achieving a 50% reduction in traffic accident fatalities ▲expanding youth policies such as creating 1,000 youth jobs ▲supplying 5,500 public rental housing units for resident happiness ▲expanding newborn care expenses ▲introducing a career connection voucher system ▲supporting self-development for out-of-school youth ▲introducing special allowances for elderly care facility workers ▲providing honorary allowances for May 18 veterans and war veterans.

For ‘Connected Jeonnam,’ linking people and spaces through metropolitan SOC, the province plans to drastically improve essential SOC based on the government’s regional balance strategy and support, driving regional development.

To this end, the focus will be on ▲reflecting core SOC in mid- to long-term national plans ▲fast-tracking the Gyeongjeon Line section from Boseong to Suncheon and connecting the southern coastal railway ▲building the Namdo metropolitan railway network ▲revitalizing Muan International Airport in connection with the Korea Tourism Integrated Package Project (KTTP).

Governor Kim Young-rok said, “We will prioritize ending the COVID-19 situation and devote all efforts to regional economic recovery,” adding, “We will develop the province’s infinite potential and identity into future growth engines and realize ‘Jeonnam, the Land of Life and Excellence.’”

He emphasized, “In the Year of the Ox, Sinchuk Year, I will lead the provincial government firmly and powerfully to ensure residents can feel ‘pleasant change’ and ‘happy change’.”

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