Gyeong-su Kim, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, New Year Interview: "Next Year Will Focus on People and Talent Development"

Focusing on People and Talent Development... "We Will Move Toward Another Metropolitan Area"

Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam Province.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, stated on the 31st that with the vision of "A Greater Gyeongnam, Opening a Greater Future," he will focus on nurturing people and talent with the ambition to make Gyeongnam a place where companies come and talents seek.

In an interview with this publication ahead of the New Year, Governor Kim explained the tasks to be solved to alleviate the concentration in the metropolitan area, saying, "Through the focused promotion of the Southeast Mega City, we will overcome the unipolar system of the metropolitan area and make the Southeast region another metropolitan area."

Below is a Q&A with Governor Kim.

- It has been a difficult year due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). What are your thoughts?

▲ There were many special events both publicly and privately. From a national perspective, COVID-19 made us realize how remarkable the people of the Republic of Korea are. In that sense, it was a year that gave us pride.

For Gyeongnam, I think it was a year that took a step closer to fundamentally solving the problem from the perspective that "the concentration in the metropolitan area must be resolved."

Also, the Southeast Mega City concept was able to be practically promoted with the consensus of Busan and Ulsan. Therefore, I believe Gyeongnam within Korea was able to set a direction toward the future.

- What was the biggest achievement and regret this year?

▲ During the COVID-19 response process, the role of local governments was imprinted on the public. The result was the passage of the Local Autonomy Act amendment, which was the most meaningful achievement, and a legal foundation was established to enable the Southeast Mega City and the Special Metropolitan Local Government Union.

I believe that the foundation for the Southeast Mega City was firmly established through the consensus formed among the residents, administrative leaders, and political circles of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam.

On the other hand, issues such as youth problems and the Youth and Education Special Province are still in the initial stages, so it is difficult for projects to show concrete results. Especially, if good talents are not produced faster than now, the future of the Southeast region will be difficult. I regret that we have not been able to produce results that residents can feel directly, and this is an important task for next year.

- What are the priorities or urgent matters that Gyeongnam Province will focus on in the New Year?

▲ It is the part of "people and talent development." We need to create a structure where companies come looking for good talent.

After meeting with experts related to newly spotlighted platform companies and startup ecosystems, I found that companies go where the talent is.

No matter how good the benefits offered, if it is difficult to recruit good talent and R&D personnel, companies will not decide to come. Therefore, I plan to focus on talent development in the operation of the provincial government next year.

- What are the remaining challenges regarding the Southeast Mega City and administrative integration of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam?

▲ While the development of Gyeongnam is important, the problem of alleviating the concentration in the metropolitan area must be solved. Isn't that the Achilles' heel of Korea directly linked to Gyeongnam's future? Therefore, I believe that coming up with solutions to this is fulfilling my duty as governor.

The Southeast Mega City is, simply put, a platform concept that promotes flexible regional development centered on living and economic zones beyond administrative districts. It aims to overcome the unipolar system of the metropolitan area and make the Southeast region "another metropolitan area."

It is a plan to nurture common future industries by utilizing regional strengths such as manufacturing, hydrogen industry, tourism, and large ports, and to create good jobs and convenient living areas for city and provincial residents.

Also, through the Southeast Region Win-Win Development Council and sectoral councils, we plan to concretize and gradually implement the Southeast regional development plan.

We intend to actively utilize the Special Local Government Union system to solve feasible pending issues and create a future decentralized social environment through discovering and piloting new metropolitan governance models.

- Lastly, do you have a message for the residents?

▲ COVID-19 is such an urgent issue right now that overcoming it is the most important. Since about 70-80% of infections occur in family or acquaintance gatherings, it will be difficult without the residents' cooperation.

Please reduce gatherings during the year-end and New Year holidays, and have a safe and quiet New Year at home with your family so that the New Year can be a year of more hope and expectation.

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