Governor Kim Kyung-soo Holds 3rd Anniversary Press Conference ... "No Future for Gyeongnam Without Youth"

Press Conference Commemorating the 3rd Anniversary of the 7th Local Government at Gyeongnam Provincial Office
Focusing on Attracting ICT Anchor Companies and Innovation Institutions, and Promoting Cultural Industries to Create Youth Jobs

Gyeong-su Kim, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, is answering questions at the Gyeongnam Provincial Office on the 28th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Governor Kim Kyung-soo held a briefing session on the 28th at the Gyeongnam Provincial Office to commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the 7th elected provincial administration, explaining the achievements so far and the future direction of provincial governance.

Before the press briefing, Governor Kim explained the provincial achievements over the past three years regarding the 'Southern Inland High-Speed Railway' and 'Metropolitan Public Transportation System Improvement,' revealing plans to expand the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam area into an 8 million population metropolitan city.

In particular, Governor Kim stated, "If Gyeongnam is not a place where young people want to live, there is no future for Gyeongnam," identifying the first administrative task for the remaining one-year term as making 'Gyeongnam a place where young people want to live.'

As of last year, about 18,000 young people migrated from Gyeongnam Province to the Seoul metropolitan area. Governor Kim explained the causes of this outflow as 'jobs,' 'education,' and 'housing.'

He added, "To create a Gyeongnam where young people and women want to work, we will establish customized jobs suitable for smart and digital systems, attract ICT anchor companies and innovation institutions, and expand jobs by fostering the content industry utilizing Gyeongnam's cultural resources."

Regarding criticism that Gyeongnam's vision and plans for agricultural, livestock, and fisheries products are insufficient, he responded, "The agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors are being transformed by the new trend of young farmers, building infrastructure so that young agricultural producers can take responsibility for Gyeongnam's agriculture." He continued, "Through this, the consumption structure of agricultural, livestock, and fisheries products produced locally will be included in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam megacity plan, focusing on stabilizing farmers' incomes in Gyeongnam."

When asked about the delayed start of the Western Gyeongnam KTX construction, he said, "Currently, we are reflecting local residents' requests through community briefings. Even if it takes a little longer, the Western Gyeongnam KTX that incorporates residents' opinions will have value." The Western Gyeongnam KTX is scheduled for completion in 2028.

Questions about the Supreme Court ruling also arose. Governor Kim said about the trial situation, "It seems it will be decided depending on whether it is referred to the full bench. If that happens, it is hard to predict whether the trial period will be longer or shorter. I expect the result to come out within this year."

Regarding the possibility of running in the presidential election, he drew a line by saying, "There is nothing more important than overcoming the current Seoul-centric unipolar system. This task is much more important than becoming president," without revealing any specific plans for presidential candidacy.

Concluding the press briefing, Governor Kim said, "While the past three years of administration are important, how we make the remaining one year is crucial. I will do my best to achieve long-term future outcomes together with the residents through the total four years of achievements."

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