Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok's Continuous Efforts to Secure Next Year's Budget

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, is carrying out a relentless schedule day after day, holding successive meetings with the ruling and opposition party leaders in the National Assembly, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and others to secure the 2023 national budget.

Governor Kim Young-rok held a meeting with Kim Wan-seop, Director of the Budget Office at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, along with five budget review officers, to request the reflection of next year’s national funds. He also met with Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, Kim Sung-hwan, Policy Committee Chair of the Democratic Party, Park Jung, Secretary of the Democratic Party’s Special Budget and Accounts Committee, Shin Dong-geun, Secretary of the Democratic Party’s Planning and Finance Committee, and Han Moo-kyung, Secretary of the People Power Party’s Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee at the National Assembly to propose solutions for regional issues and request national funding for next year.

On the 24th, he is scheduled to meet with Sung Il-jong, Policy Committee Chair of the People Power Party, and Jin Sung-jun, Deputy Floor Leader of the Democratic Party.

On this day, Governor Kim strongly urged the National Assembly to promptly enact the “Special Act on the Promotion of Wind Power Generation.” He emphasized, “As RE100 and carbon border taxes emerge as new trade barriers, the demand for renewable energy has rapidly increased, but power generation is insufficient, making the expansion and widespread adoption of offshore wind power, which can produce large-scale renewable energy, urgent.”

He continued, “Offshore wind power requires 5 to 6 years just for permits due to complex administrative procedures involving 10 ministries. To ensure timely progress, please enact a special law that allows for the integrated processing of related permits to significantly shorten the period.”

Regarding the establishment of an ultra-high-power laser research facility, he said, “While laser technology competition among major countries such as the United States and China is accelerating, South Korea relies mostly on imports for core laser components and technologies. To secure future new technologies, it is urgent to reflect laser technology in the national science and technology master plan,” and requested the prompt selection of a candidate site in the first quarter of 2023.

He particularly emphasized that Naju has already been verified for site safety and is the optimal location for the ultra-high-power laser research facility due to its potential for linkage and utilization with Korea Energy Engineering University, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), and Korea Photonics Technology Institute.

Regarding the creation of a semiconductor specialized complex in Gwangju and Jeonnam, he stated, “To strengthen competitiveness in the semiconductor industry, three factors are important: realization of RE100, abundant water supply, and sufficient manpower supply.”

He added, “Gwangju and Jeonnam have abundant renewable energy such as offshore wind power, a rich water supply capacity utilizing Jangseongho and Damyangho reservoirs, and are optimal locations capable of supplying manpower from production to research by utilizing Chonnam National University, GIST, and Korea Energy Engineering University,” requesting support for the establishment of the specialized complex and prioritizing non-metropolitan areas for semiconductor workforce development.

Regarding improvements to the special transfer income tax exemption for rural housing to revitalize enterprise cities, he said, “As a measure to attract population to regions at risk of local extinction, it is necessary to apply a capital gains tax exemption on existing houses when acquiring new houses within enterprise cities,” and urged, “Please promptly amend the ‘Restriction of Special Taxation Act’ to recognize enterprise cities in rural areas as rural housing regardless of zoning and apply capital gains tax exemption.”

Regarding the southern regional wide-area tourism development project, a national budget-supported project for next year, he explained, “Now, a super-regional tourism growth hub is needed to overcome the crisis of local extinction,” and said, “The southern regional wide-area tourism development plan promoted by five metropolitan local governments?Jeonnam, Gwangju, Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam?should be implemented on a scale of over 3 trillion won (1.5 trillion won for Jeonnam).”

Regarding the construction of the National Subtropical Arboretum, which is under a preliminary feasibility study, he emphasized, “Jeonnam, which has the largest subtropical forest nationwide, needs a control tower to respond to changes in plant species by climate and vegetation zones and the subtropicalization of forests.”

Regarding the establishment of the National Cardiovascular Research Institute, he said, “It is necessary to conduct systematic research on cardiovascular diseases, which account for 23% of total deaths, and to have a management institution overseeing the 14 regional cardiovascular centers nationwide,” requesting the prompt approval and budget reflection of projects under preliminary feasibility studies, including the National Subtropical Arboretum and the National Cardiovascular Research Institute.

In addition, he proposed ▲ the establishment of shared hydrogen supply infrastructure in Yeosu and Gwangyang ▲ the creation of a space launch vehicle science complex ▲ the construction of a connecting road between Gwangyang Port and Yulchon Industrial Complex ▲ the installation of a Namdo (local) food promotion center ▲ the establishment of a fishing vessel construction promotion complex ▲ the establishment of an international (organic) agricultural products export platform ▲ the construction of a smart transportation management platform for shipbuilding and marine structures ▲ and the establishment of a tidal flat World Natural Heritage conservation headquarters.

In response, Kim Wan-seop, Director of the Budget Office at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said, “We fully understand the effects of current projects on regional growth engines and will actively review the proposed projects.”

The ruling and opposition party leaders also said, “We will carefully review the urgent issues and necessary budgets for the Jeonnam region once again to help balanced regional development.”

Jeonnam Province, which has shifted to an all-out response system for National Assembly budget deliberations, requested bipartisan cooperation for 2023 national budget support by meeting with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, Deputy Speakers Kim Young-joo and Jung Woo-taek, People Power Party Emergency Committee Chair Jung Jin-seok, Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun, and Budget Committee Chair Woo Won-shik, centered on the governor on the 15th.

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