Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok's 'Relentless March' to Secure 2024 National Budget

Holding Budget Policy Council Meeting and Discussing Resolution of Current Issues through Meetings with Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers

Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok is continuing a vigorous campaign to secure the 2024 national budget.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 2nd, Governor Kim held a budget policy meeting with the Democratic Party Jeonnam Provincial Party in Seoul, followed by consecutive meetings with ruling and opposition lawmakers, including the floor leader of the People Power Party, to discuss solutions to regional issues and plans to secure national funds for 2024.

The budget policy meeting was attended by Shin Jeong-hoon, chairman of the Jeonnam Provincial Party, National Assembly members Kim Won-i, Joo Cheol-hyun, Kim Hoe-jae, So Byung-chul, Seo Dong-yong, Lee Gae-ho, Kim Seung-nam, Yoon Jae-gap, and Park Jeong-sik, secretary general of the provincial party.

Governor Kim said, “The provincial budget has expanded from 7 trillion won during the 7th local government term to 12 trillion won, with per capita regional gross production ranking 4th nationwide and household income ranking 11th nationwide, greatly improving the lives of residents,” adding, “I ask for the cooperation of the National Assembly members to ensure that core projects realizing true balanced development in Jeonnam for the next 100 years proceed smoothly.”

Chairman Shin Jeong-hoon said, “We congratulate Assemblyman Seo Sam-seok on becoming the chairman of the Budget and Accounts Committee on behalf of 2 million residents, and hope he will be a strong support to ensure that various regional issues are reflected without delay,” adding, “Together with local lawmakers, we will strive to improve residents’ lives through legislative activities such as securing national funds and enacting and revising related laws.”

Governor Kim then met with People Power Party floor leader Yoon Jae-ok and Democratic Party Budget and Accounts Committee secretary Kang Hoon-sik at the National Assembly to request parliamentary cooperation on current issues.

Floor leader Yoon Jae-ok and others said, “We will actively support ensuring that budgets for core projects related to regional new growth engines are well reflected in the government’s budget proposal.”

On this day, Governor Kim Young-rok requested support for the early expansion of future social overhead capital (SOC) in the Honam region at the budget policy meeting and with the ruling party floor leader.

Regarding this, he asked, “The Gwangju-Yeongam Autobahn, Gwangju-Hwasun metropolitan railway, and Jeonnam-type tram (Mokpo-Oryong) must be included in the national road and railway plans.”

He also mentioned the Korea Energy Engineering University.

He said, “It will play a key role in developing cutting-edge technologies and nurturing talent in areas such as secondary batteries, small modular reactors (SMR), and artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors,” and urged, “Please make efforts to restore the reduced funding from KEPCO to normal levels.”

Regarding the development of the South Coast, he requested the enactment of the “Special Act on the Establishment of the South Coast Comprehensive Development Agency” to systematically promote power generation projects dispersed across multiple ministries.

Regarding the relocation of public institutions such as the Central Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperatives, he emphasized the need to amend the Agricultural Cooperative Act and Fisheries Cooperative Act in conjunction with the amendment of the Industrial Bank Act to relocate the Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperatives to Jeonnam, which has a comparative advantage in agriculture and fisheries, compared to the relocation of the Industrial Bank to Busan.

He also spoke about the creation of the Gwangyang Bay Area Future Advanced Materials National Industrial Complex.

Governor Kim said, “We are coordinating investment attraction for 86 advanced materials companies including secondary battery anchor companies, hydrogen, and functional chemicals, but industrial sites have run out,” and requested the establishment of a national industrial complex in the Suncheon-Gwangyang area.

He also requested unified support for the establishment of a national medical school in Jeonnam, saying, “Please support it unanimously to alleviate medical disparities between regions and resolve the shortage of doctors in vulnerable areas.”

In addition, he proposed issues such as ▲ the establishment of an ultra-high-power laser research facility ▲ the prompt enactment of a special law on offshore wind power and strengthening the role of local governments ▲ legislation to expand the taxation of local resource facility taxes.

Regarding the 2024 government budget proposal, to industrialize AI life industries in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, he requested ▲ the establishment of an AI advanced agricultural convergence zone (Muan) ▲ the creation of a K-Kimchi industry cluster ▲ the establishment of a local food promotion center ▲ the construction of a marine bio smart factory center (Wando) ▲ the creation of a UNESCO World Heritage mudflat seabird sanctuary (Shinan).

To lay the foundation for future strategic industries through new growth engines, he proposed ▲ the establishment of a solar panel recycling cluster (Haenam) ▲ the construction of a space launch vehicle technology commercialization center (Goheung) ▲ support for the activation of energy industry convergence complexes ▲ a smart shipbuilding and marine industry future talent training project (Yeongam) ▲ the creation of a Gwangju-Jeonnam (Hwasun) advanced medical complex.

To create a global tourism and cultural hub, he requested ▲ the development project of the southern region’s wide-area tourism ▲ the investigation, excavation, and maintenance promotion project of the Mahan historical and cultural area ▲ the establishment of an animation content station (Suncheon) ▲ the construction of an international meditation center (Damyang). For SOC expansion projects in the Honam region, he requested ▲ the inclusion of the Gwangju-Goheung expressway in the national plan ▲ the selection and approval of the Gwangju-Wando expressway (phase 2) and the Jeolla Line high-speed railway in the preliminary feasibility study. For projects under preliminary feasibility study, he requested ▲ the establishment of a space launch vehicle industry cluster (Goheung) ▲ the construction of Yeosu Gukdong Port.

Jeonnam Province plans to explain the justification for national funding support to financial authorities until the government budget is finalized at the end of August, and for projects not reflected, it will closely cooperate with party leadership, the Budget and Accounts Committee chairman, and local lawmakers during the National Assembly review phase from September to November to make every effort to secure national funds until the very end.

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