Jeonnam Councilor Choi Seonguk: "Jeonnam Must Lead Energy Transition for Residents' Benefit"

Forum on "Social Economy and the Path to Energy Transition"
Discussing Ways to Expand Participation of Cooperatives and Village Enterprises

There have been calls for the establishment of a system that can ensure Jeonnam’s abundant renewable energy resources are tangibly returned to its residents.

On the 27th, Choi Seonguk, Jeonnam Provincial Councilor, attended the "Forum on Linking Jeonnam’s Social Economy and Renewable Energy Transition Policies," organized by the Jeonnam Social Economy Integrated Support Center and held at the Jeonnam Small and Medium Enterprise Job and Economy Promotion Agency, where he discussed ways to expand local participation.

On this day, Assemblyman Choi stated, "Jeonnam has immense potential for renewable energy, but it is regrettable that the profits are not being returned to the region." He added, "In particular, even though Jeonnam’s sea area offers optimal conditions for offshore wind power, the main investors are private companies and foreign firms."

Former Jeonnam Provincial Assembly member Choi Seonguk, who attended as a panelist, is emphasizing the importance of renewable energy. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

He further emphasized, "We can no longer stand by while the profits generated from Jeonnam’s valuable resources flow out of the region. Jeonnam must take the lead in renewable energy projects to ensure that tangible benefits reach local residents." He also stated, "The provincial council will actively work to establish relevant systems."

The forum, themed "Sustainable Jeonnam, Opening the Path to Energy Transition through Social Economy," was attended by about 30 people, including Kim Jongik, Chairman of the Sangsaengnamu Corporation, and officials from Jeonnam cooperatives and village enterprises, who discussed ways to expand the participation of social economy organizations in renewable energy.

O Daegyun, a member of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement Carbon Market Supervisory Body, who delivered the first presentation, stressed, "The destruction of ecosystems due to global warming has surpassed the warning level. The transition to renewable energy is the most urgent task facing the international community."

Park Hyojun, Chairman of Damun Communication Cooperative, added, "Discussions on making renewable energy a driving force for the growth of the social solidarity economy are expanding nationwide. In Jeonnam as well, cooperatives, village enterprises, and social enterprises should directly participate in power generation projects and establish models where residents can share in the profits."

The forum, themed "Sustainable Jeonnam, Opening the Path to Energy Transition through Social Economy," was attended by about 30 people, including Kim Jongik, Chairman of the nonprofit organization Sangsaengnamu, and representatives from cooperatives and village enterprises in Jeonnam. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

During the panel discussion, a variety of opinions were presented regarding renewable energy policies suited to the characteristics of Jeonnam and the roles of social economy actors.

Kim Jongik, who chaired the session, stated, "The importance of clean energy such as solar and wind power is growing. We will hold a second forum to continue discussions on energy transition that coexists with the local community."

This forum was evaluated as an opportunity to build consensus on the need to connect Jeonnam’s renewable energy resources to the interests of local residents and to foster local social economy organizations as key players in the energy transition.

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