Governor Kim Young-rok: "Yeonggwang-gun to Develop as e-Mobility Hub"

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, announced that he will "develop Yeonggwang-gun as a hub for the next-generation transportation means, the e-mobility industry."

According to Jeonnam Province on the 7th, Governor Kim visited Yeonggwang-gun that day and said through a dialogue with residents, "We will invest 28 billion KRW over three years until this year to develop Yeonggwang as a center of the e-mobility industry."

Through research and development (R&D) and driving demonstrations, the goal is to raise the domestic parts localization rate from 40% to 80%, aiming to capture not only the domestic market but also the global market.

Governor Kim added, "For the pilot project supporting the development of the ultra-small electric vehicle industry and related services, we will spend 44.2 billion KRW over three years until 2022 to build demonstration infrastructure and lay the foundation for attracting companies related to ultra-small vehicles and fostering upstream and downstream industries."

He continued, "We will invest 45 billion KRW in five locations including Songido Port, Beopseong Port, and Daeshin Port to modernize docking facilities to support fisheries and utilize them as tourism hubs. Additionally, we will actively support the 'Bulgapsa Tourist Site Expansion Project,' 'Development Project of Tourist Resources around Yeonggwang Chilsan Tower,' and 'Construction of the Public Memorial Park in Gunnam-myeon.'

During the online 'Dialogue with Residents,' Kim Gwan-yong, Planning Team Leader of the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant National Countermeasure Committee, proposed the enactment of a special law for nuclear power plant decommissioning areas, and Jeong Jin-gi, Chairman of Yeonggwang-gun Saemaul Association, suggested reflecting the West Coast Railroad in the national railway network construction plan.

In response, Governor Kim said, "If Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 are decommissioned by 2026, local tax revenues are expected to decrease significantly, causing serious damage to the regional economy. We are discussing joint responses with local governments where nuclear power plants are located, including the enactment of a special law and designation of a national industrial complex in preparation for the decommissioning."

He added, "Once the special law for development support of decommissioning areas is concretized, we will actively work with Yeonggwang-gun to enact the law. We will also cooperate with local governments in Jeonnam and Jeonbuk to ensure that the West Coast Railroad connecting Gunsan-Yeonggwang-Mokpo is included in the 5th National Plan for the national railway network construction."

Choi Jong-geun, head of Daema-myeon village chiefs, proposed the 'Daema Angol Valley Watershed Management Project,' and Baek Jong-su, head of Gil-yong 1-ri in Baeksu-eup, suggested the 'Installation of Drainage Pump Station in Baeksu Jeonggwanpyeong Plain.' Governor Kim responded that he would actively review these proposals.

Yeonggwang-gun also proposed to support 500 million KRW from the provincial budget for the creation of a Youth Startup and Childcare Integrated Support Center to provide startup opportunities for youth, create jobs, revitalize the old downtown, and meet the childcare needs of residents following the achievement of the highest total fertility rate nationwide for two consecutive years.

Governor Kim responded, "I believe that synergy effects such as employment and startup support will occur in connection with nearby youth culture centers and multicultural family centers," promising active support.

He added, "Yeonggwang is the first place where Baekje Buddhism arrived and is a sacred site with four major religious cultural heritages including Won Buddhism, Christianity, and Catholicism. In particular, we will actively support its growth as a hub for realizing the Clean Jeonnam Blue Economy by utilizing the well-established new industry infrastructure such as the Daema Electric Vehicle Industrial Complex with an 87% sales rate, wind power, and solar power complexes."

At the dialogue with residents, 15 people including Governor Kim Young-rok, Yeonggwang County Mayor Kim Jun-seong, Chairman of Yeonggwang County Council Choi Eun-young, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly member Lee Jang-seok, Yeonggwang Police Chief Kang Ki-hyun, Yeonggwang Education Support Office Superintendent Kim Chun-gon, and Yeonggwang County Council members attended on-site while complying with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Additionally, 150 residents representing 11 towns and townships participated online.

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