Jeonnam Province, KEPCO University Act Passes National Assembly, Boosting 'Normal Opening' Momentum

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The "Korea Energy Engineering University Act" passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 24th, gaining momentum for the university's official opening in March 2022.

According to Jeonnam Province, the "Korea Energy Engineering University Act" was finally approved in the plenary session five months after being introduced by Representative Shin Jeong-hoon in October last year.

The "Korea Energy Engineering University Act" includes provisions to foster specialized convergent talents in energy by granting autonomy in university establishment and operation such as academic management and selection of students and faculty, legal grounds for financial support from the government, local governments, and public institutions, and relaxation of establishment standards for opening in March 2022.

Since the bill was introduced last October, Governor Kim Young-rok of Jeonnam Province has been actively explaining the necessity of the legislation and requesting its prompt enactment by meeting comprehensively with the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party, the chairpersons and secretaries of the Industry, Trade, and Energy Committee and the Judiciary Committee, and local lawmakers.

Viewing the March extraordinary session as the deadline for enacting the bill for the university's official opening in 2022, he united with the local political community to actively advocate for the legislation.

Together with 10 lawmakers from the Jeonnam region, he issued a statement urging enactment in March and secured a promise from the Democratic Party leadership for the passage of the Korea Energy Engineering University Act in March.

In particular, he showed a broad approach regardless of party lines to pass the Judiciary Committee.

He individually called all Judiciary Committee members to explain the necessity and urgency of the legislation, and on the day of the Judiciary Committee meeting on the 23rd, he actively requested passage through meetings with the leadership of both parties, including Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader, Yoon Ho-jung, Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee, Baek Hye-ryun, Democratic Party Judiciary Committee Secretary, and Kim Do-eup, People Power Party Secretary.

From the afternoon when the agenda review began until midnight when the bill was passed, he waited in front of the Judiciary Committee meeting room in the National Assembly main building, greeting Judiciary Committee members from both parties and conveying the strong will of the Honam region's public for the opening of Korea Energy Engineering University, engaging in an all-out effort for the legislation.

With the passage of the Korea Energy Engineering University Act through the National Assembly, the foundation for the official opening in March 2022 has been established.

Going forward, the province plans to work closely with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Electric Power Corporation to ensure the smooth progress of follow-up legislation such as early enactment of enforcement ordinances, establishment of a special corporation, announcement of student recruitment guidelines, hiring of excellent professors, and campus construction procedures to achieve the official opening.

Near the university, the government, local governments, and Korea Energy Engineering University will jointly develop an 800,000㎡ research institute and industry-academia-research cluster to grow the Energy Valley into the world's top energy-specialized cluster.

Additionally, considering the influx of domestic and international faculty, researchers, and students, plans are underway to relocate Jeonnam Science High School and attract foreign schools to improve the highest-level educational environment and living conditions.

Governor Kim said, "On behalf of 2 million residents, I sincerely welcome the passage of the Korea Energy Engineering University Act in the National Assembly plenary session," adding, "We will accelerate the official opening of Korea Energy Engineering University in March 2022 and nurture it into a world top 10 engineering university."

He continued, "We will continuously develop the government's Green New Deal and Jeonnam's Blue Economy to serve as a pillar of national economic development and regional growth engines."

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