Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok's All-Out Effort to Secure National Funding for Local Priority Projects

Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok held a meeting on the 1st in Sejong City with Kim Dong-il, Director of the Budget Office at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, along with other directors and bureau chiefs of the Budget Office, strongly requesting next year's national budget support for regional pending projects.

Governor Kim said, "Despite difficult financial conditions last year, thanks to the great interest in Jeonnam's national treasury projects, we were able to achieve qualitative and quantitative growth," adding, "At this important time preparing for the next 100 years, I request active support for next year's national treasury budget to lay the foundation for Jeonnam's great leap forward."

Regarding the 2025 national SOC projects in the Jeonnam region, he emphasized, "SOC, which will serve as the catalyst for balanced development, requires budget allocation considering regional equity, but Jeonnam's 2024 budget is at the lowest level," and urged, "Please reflect sufficient budget so that projects can proceed on schedule and play a major role in regional balanced development."

Concerning the establishment of the National Gim Industry Promotion Agency and a large-scale dried gim logistics complex, he stated, "To globalize the gim industry, which is the number one export hero item, a national-level specialized research infrastructure comprehensively covering research, production, distribution, and export of the gim industry is urgently needed," and requested, "We ask for active support so that the National Gim Industry Promotion Agency and logistics complex can be established in Jeonnam, which accounts for 75% of the nation's seaweed production."

Regarding the creation of an AI advanced livestock industry convergence valley, he said, "An innovation model led by the state is necessary for the advanced industrialization of livestock, which accounts for 42% of agricultural production value," and proposed, "Please actively support the development of infrastructure linked with the National Institute of Animal Science, currently relocating to Hampyeong, Jeonnam, to foster it as a hub for advanced livestock industry."

In addition, Governor Kim proposed key pending projects such as the designation of the nation's only cultural content industry opportunity development zone, support for workforce training and content production to create K-Disney to spread the charm of K-content worldwide, and the establishment of a private-use space launch vehicle engine combustion test facility to leap forward as a hub for cutting-edge strategic industries and to promote the aerospace industry in earnest.

He also requested early approval of preliminary feasibility studies and inclusion in next year's national budget for projects including ▲Gwangju-Wando Expressway Phase 2 (KRW 1.5965 trillion, KRW 1 billion in 2025) ▲Gwangyang (IV) Industrial Water Supply Project (total KRW 302.4 billion, KRW 500 million in 2025) ▲Hwasun County Abandoned Mine Area Economic Promotion Development Project (total KRW 564.3 billion, KRW 12.5 billion in 2025) ▲National Maritime Fisheries Museum Construction (total KRW 144.1 billion, KRW 5.5 billion in 2025).

Kim Dong-il, Director of the Budget Office, responded, "I fully empathize with the necessity of Jeonnam's pending projects and will carefully review the budget requests during the budget deliberation process to ensure maximum reflection of the requested budgets."

Meanwhile, as this month is the most critical period for finalizing the government budget proposal, Jeonnam Province plans to respond comprehensively to securing national funds by having Governor Kim Young-rok and other directors and bureau chiefs focus on visiting central government ministries, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the National Assembly.

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