Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok: "Make the New Year the First Year of Jeonnam's Great Leap Forward"

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, emphasized that he will make the new year the inaugural year of the ‘Jeonnam Great Leap Forward’ competing with the world, turning it into a land of opportunity and hope.

At the opening ceremony on the 2nd, Governor Kim stated, “Last year, with the passionate support and backing of the residents, Jeonnam laid the foundation to compete with the world.”

Last year, Jeonnam Province established a foundation to compete globally by ▲ opening Korea Energy University ▲ designating a space launch vehicle industry cluster ▲ establishing the World Tidal Flat Natural Heritage Conservation Headquarters ▲ attracting the National Maritime Fisheries Museum ▲ launching the overseas online shopping mall Namdo Jangteo US.

Also, this year, Jeonnam secured the largest-ever budget with 11.8 trillion won in the provincial budget and 8.65 trillion won in the national treasury budget.

The major newly reflected budgets include next-generation grid semiconductors, green hydrogen energy islands, agricultural and food climate change response centers, southern region wide-area tourism development leading projects, and space launch vehicle science complexes.

Governor Kim emphasized, “Based on these achievements, in 2023, Jeonnam will soar to the world and improve the lives of its residents.”

This year, the province plans to nurture the region’s strengths in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries into future life industries through smartization, high value-added production, and export industrialization, while continuing to support the competitiveness of regional industries such as Gwangyang Steelworks, Yeosu Chemical Industrial Complex, and the southwestern shipbuilding industry as the world’s number one.

Additionally, by gathering the capabilities and will of the residents, Jeonnam plans to successfully host the Suncheonman International Garden Expo, National Sports Festival, International Agricultural Expo, International Ink Painting Biennale, Kim Dae-jung Peace Conference, and International Namdo Food Culture Festival to showcase Jeonnam’s charm to the world.

Support for youth dreams and hopes will be provided through the construction of large-scale youth culture centers by region and nurturing 10,000 smart young farmers and fishermen, while welfare mobilization teams caring for neighbors in need will be greatly expanded. Customized senior job support projects will be implemented along with providing 200,000 won in heating costs to elderly people living alone.

For small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with high interest rates, a special loan product worth 100 billion won will be prepared with interest reductions on loans, policy funds will be operated for small business owners, and a 1 trillion won scale local love gift certificate will be issued to revitalize the local economy.

For farmers and fishermen suffering from soaring oil and electricity prices, the province extended by two months the support period for tax-free fuel purchase costs for farmers and fishermen, which was first implemented nationwide, and also supports 50% of the increase in electricity charges for agricultural and fishery use.

Governor Kim said, “Since the economy is expected to be very difficult this year, we will work hard to create future growth engines, embrace struggling residents, and revitalize the local economy. To this end, I will work with the attitude of ‘Il-nyeom Tong-cheon (一念通天)’?the belief that if you devote yourself wholeheartedly throughout the year, you can achieve anything.”

Before the opening ceremony, Governor Kim Young-rok visited the Mokpo Memorial Tower and the late Kim Dae-jung statue in Muan with related officials from the provincial government’s offices and bureaus to pay respects and pledged to realize the ‘Jeonnam Great Leap Forward competing with the world.’

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