Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok Emphasizes Three Key Strategic Industries During 'Dialogue with Residents' in Mokpo

Jeonnam-style New Deal Project - Mokpo Strategic Industry 'In Harmony'

Mayor Kim Jong-sik: "Jeonnam's Change Will Start from Mokpo"

The dialogue with residents held in Mokpo on the 6th featured Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok and Mokpo Mayor Kim Jong-sik receiving citizens' questions online due to COVID-19. Photo by Mokpo City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seung-hyun Jeong] On the 7th, Mokpo City in Jeollanam-do announced that Governor Kim Young-rok and the citizens of Mokpo explained various strategic industries to create future regional value during the ‘Dialogue with Residents.’

The day before, Governor Kim held the ‘2021 Dialogue with Governor and Residents’ at the Mokpo Culture and Arts Center, attended by Mokpo Mayor Kim Jong-sik, City Council Chairman Park Chang-soo, and city and provincial council members from the Mokpo district. The event included reports on provincial and city administration, suggestions, and Q&A sessions.

Considering the COVID-19 situation, the dialogue minimized on-site participants and was conducted mainly with online participants selected through prior applications, and it was broadcast live on YouTube.

While explaining overall provincial administration matters, the city focused on introducing the ‘3+1’ strategy, which combines culture and arts with three major strategic industries: renewable energy industry, seafood food industry, and tourism industry.

Mayor Kim said, “The ‘Clean Jeonnam Blue Economy Project’ and ‘Jeonnam-type New Deal’ promoted by Jeollanam-do, along with Mokpo City’s ‘3+1 Future Strategic Industry Development’ that adds culture and arts to renewable energy, seafood food, and tourism, are consistent with each other. Through two major pillars, including the establishment of an 8.2GW offshore wind power production base on the southwest coast and the creation of the nation’s first eco-friendly ship cluster, we will stand tall as the center of the renewable energy industry leading the Jeonnam-type New Deal.”

He also presented a blueprint, stating, “The seafood food industry will rise as the nation’s number one seafood food city leading the export market by spearheading the creation of a seafood food export complex, establishing and fostering the globalization of Mokpo fish cake, and developing an export-strategic processed seaweed industry.”

Meanwhile, the determination of Mokpo citizens regarding local issues was also strong that day.

A citizen named Han Soo-young, who attended online, requested, “Please make efforts at the Jeonnam provincial level to promptly approve the government’s increase in medical school quotas and the establishment of a medical school at Mokpo National University to realize the long-cherished wish of establishing a medical school and university hospital for 30 years.”

Governor Kim explained, “Last July, the government and ruling party planned to establish a new medical school in a place without one, keeping Jeonnam in mind. Although residents’ expectations were very high, the medical-policy consultative body decided to discuss it after the COVID-19 situation stabilizes, causing delays.”

He added, “With the new executive team of the Korean Medical Association recently formed, the medical-policy consultative body is expected to resume soon. Since the government’s will is firm, we expect that the 30-year wish of the residents will be fulfilled this year. We will gather the residents’ will and create a framework for discussion as soon as possible to bring a medical school to Jeonnam.”

In addition, the dialogue discussed local issues such as ▲expansion of support for youth job projects ▲activation and promotion of tourism in Manho-dong ▲prompt completion of public institutions on the site of the old Mokpo Police Station ▲development plans for tourism products linked to the southwest region ▲and support for easing standards for industrial complex location subsidies.

Mayor Kim said, “Although it was somewhat regrettable that we could not gather in one place for the dialogue this year, the new format was fresh and beneficial. Mokpo stands on the springboard for a new leap, and we will actively cooperate with the province to lead Jeonnam’s transformation starting from Mokpo.”

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