'Adieu' Jeonnam Provincial Government under the 7th Elected Term... "Laid the Foundation for Realizing a Happy Jeonnam"

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province evaluated that during the 7th local government term, despite the COVID-19 crisis, it laid the foundation for Jeonnam’s future 100 years of development with valuable achievements and meaningful changes, and established the basis for realizing a happy Jeonnam by discovering and implementing numerous Jeonnam-style happiness policies that empower its residents.

According to the province on the 30th, personal income, which ranked 17th nationwide in 2017, rose to 20.1 million KRW in 2021, reaching the highest-ever 10th place, while the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) ranked 8th and the average wage income of workers ranked 7th nationwide.

The Jeonnam budget, which was only 7 trillion KRW, increased to 11 trillion KRW in four years, and the national treasury budget also achieved the milestone of entering the 8 trillion KRW era.

In external evaluations, the Korean Manifesto Center gave the highest grade in all categories for the 7th local government term’s pledge fulfillment evaluation, and last year, Jeonnam ranked first nationwide for the first time ever in the quantitative section of the government joint evaluation, showing notable performance.

Despite difficult circumstances such as COVID-19 and the global supply chain crisis, investment attraction that revitalized employment and the regional economy was also active.

Investment agreements were signed with 1,002 companies worth 27.8 trillion KRW, including data centers and secondary battery materials, with a high realization rate of 56% as 557 companies proceeded with investments.

The industrial complex sales rate, which was 38.2% in 2018, rose sharply to 79.4% as of June last year through active corporate investment inducement and focused management.

Jeonnam’s aging industrial complexes were selected consecutively for the government’s industrial complex major renovation contest to transform them into future-oriented low-carbon and smart complexes, leading to a new leap forward.

Following the selection of the Gwangyang Bay area industrial complex worth 1.2 trillion KRW in 2020, this year the 360 billion KRW Southwest area industrial complex project was also confirmed.

Jeonnam’s future vision, “Clean Jeonnam, Blue Economy,” which combines Jeonnam’s clean resources with 4th Industrial Revolution technologies, was newly presented and evaluated as a driving force for innovative economic growth.

Additionally, the establishment of Korea Energy Engineering University, the world’s first energy-specialized university, was promoted, culminating in its opening last March after uniting the hearts of 5 million Honam residents.

Last year, as the first event of the government’s regional balanced New Deal tour, a signing ceremony was held for the creation of the world’s largest 8.2GW offshore wind power complex, laying the foundation for creating 120,000 Jeonnam-style win-win jobs and leading the global energy transition.

The province greatly expanded social overhead capital (SOC) facilities, opening the door to the “Jeonnam SOC Renaissance era.”

Representative projects include the Gyeongjeon Line high-speed railway connecting Mokpo and Busan in 2 hours, early completion of the Honam high-speed railway, and the South Coast Undersea Tunnel.

Achievements were also made in realizing a stay-type tourism industry and expanding opportunities for residents to enjoy culture and arts. Luxury accommodations such as Jindo Daemyung Resort and Shinan Sea One Island were increased.

Last year, the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art opened in Gwangyang, providing residents with opportunities to enjoy high-quality culture and arts.

To spread the public value of agriculture and fisheries and generate income, the province introduced the nation’s first agricultural and fishery public benefit allowance in 2020, providing 600,000 KRW annually.

Provided as local currency to support the regional economy, it has expanded to 10 cities and counties this year, establishing itself as a representative agricultural and fishery policy in Korea.

The province’s online mall, Namdo Market, increased its sales from 500 million KRW in 2018 to 55.2 billion KRW last year, more than 100 times, through mobile apps and expanded sales areas.

Small but impactful Jeonnam-style happiness policies that empower residents were also implemented. The nation’s first public-private cooperative “Our Neighborhood Welfare Mobile Unit” practiced life-close welfare, receiving a 95.6% satisfaction rate from beneficiaries.

In 2021, the “1,000 KRW Passenger Ferry” was implemented to reduce transportation costs for island residents, and this year, a new Youth Culture Welfare Card support project was launched, providing Jeonnam youth with 200,000 KRW annually for cultural welfare expenses.

These happiness policies received great responses nationwide, creating an opportunity to expand into national policies.

Meaningful achievements were also made, including the enactment of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident Special Act after 73 years, attracting the Korea Islands Promotion Agency to Mokpo, groundbreaking of the Jeonnam Eastern Integrated Government Building, and the registration of the tidal flats of Shinan, Suncheon, and Boseong as a World Heritage site.

However, despite continuous efforts throughout the 7th local government term to expand public medical infrastructure, the national medical school was not attracted, and the 8th local government term has pledged to secure it.

The 8th local government term of Jeonnam plans to vigorously open a new era of Jeonnam happiness that soars beyond Korea to the world by securing the growth engine for Jeonnam’s future 100 years based on the achievements accumulated over the past four years of the 7th local government term.

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