Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo's First Visit to Jeonnam Provincial Office ... Joint Agreement Announcement Expected

On the 26th, Sisterhood Basic Local Government Heads to Visit Together... Agreement on Fiscal Decentralization and Overcoming the Crisis of Local Extinction to Be Announced

The photo shows Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province (second from the right), on the 25th at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, posing for a commemorative photo after adopting a joint petition urging the construction of the Central East-West Transversal Railway along with Yang Seung-jo, Governor of Chungnam Province, Lee Si-jong, Governor of Chungbuk Province, and Moon Jin-seok, Member of the National Assembly (from the right). They urged that the East-West Transversal Railway be included in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan. [Image source=Yonhap News] Photo by Lee Cheol-woo

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, and Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, will announce a joint agreement at Jeonnam Provincial Office on the 26th, which includes national balanced development and strengthening of practical decentralization, realization of a carbon-neutral society by 2050, attraction of large-scale research facilities for advanced science and technology development, and overcoming the crisis of local extinction.

This visit by Governor Lee to Jeonnam Provincial Office is a reciprocal visit following Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province’s visit to Gyeongbuk Provincial Office on December 11, 2019. Both governors share a special connection as they served as co-chairs of the 'National Assembly Local Revitalization Forum' during the 18th and 19th National Assembly, engaging in legislative activities to revitalize local areas.

At the event, representatives from seven sister cities and counties will attend, including Jang Wook-hyun, Mayor of Yeongju City, and Kim Jong-sik, Mayor of Mokpo City, along with Jeon Chan-geol, County Governor of Uljin, and Choi Hyung-sik, County Governor of Damyang, who will sign a new sisterhood letter of intent.

Also accompanying the schedule are professors Im Han-gyu and Park Yong-seo from Mokpo National University, who are natives of Gyeongbuk, as well as business leaders such as Son Byung-gi, President of Seojin Logistech Co., Ltd., Oh Woong-pil, Vice Chairman of SLL Co., Ltd., Kim Jong-bae, Director of SJ Metal Co., Ltd., and Jang Hyun-sik, President of Korea High Tech Co., Ltd.

So far, Gyeongbuk and Jeonnam have fostered private-level friendship through the promotion of 10 win-win cooperation projects, including the East-West Harmony Angel Project, in areas such as culture, tourism, community sports, and youth exchange.

In particular, the 'Steel Industry Re-advancement Technology Development Project,' adopted to structurally advance the steel industry facing growth limits, suffered a setback by failing the technical evaluation by the Ministry of Science and ICT, but through joint efforts, it achieved a significant success by passing the preliminary feasibility study worth 140 billion KRW.

Additionally, the two metropolitan governments, which have the highest number of population extinction risk areas, have prepared the 'Special Act on Support for Population Extinction Areas' including special financial support, and after policy discussions and National Assembly public hearings, legislative efforts are underway, so visible results are expected soon.

Meanwhile, Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province plans to hold a special lecture and win-win talk session titled 'Change to Survive' with about 100 employees at Jeonnam Provincial Office on the day, and tour the Yeosu Marine Tourism Belt, which is gaining attention as a national tourist destination.

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