Kim Dong-yeon Chairs First Provincial Government Meeting After Overseas Business Trip... "Achieved Beyond Expectations"

by Lee YeongKyu

Published 27 Apr.2023 07:59(KST)

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is presiding over the first provincial administration open meeting after his overseas business trip on the 26th.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon evaluated his visits to the United States and Japan, aimed at attracting overseas investment, expanding opportunities for youth, and building innovation alliances, as having "achieved results beyond expectations."

At an open provincial government meeting held on the 26th in the multipurpose conference room of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office, Governor Kim shared the outcomes of his US and Japan visits, saying, "I believe this trip to the US and Japan has very successfully achieved its original goals. The 4.3 trillion won investment is said to be a record-breaking amount, so let's continue to make every effort to realize this investment."

He continued, "I met with representatives of six companies, and first, I passionately talked about Gyeonggi Province's potential, and second, about the policy directions Gyeonggi aims to pursue. The atmosphere was very positive to the extent that some even expressed intentions to make additional investments whenever opportunities arose."

He added, "Regarding the expansion of youth opportunities, about 150 students have been confirmed from four universities: the University of Michigan, State University of New York, University of Washington, and University of Sydney in Australia. Negotiations with prestigious Chinese universities are also in the final stages, and it seems we can send about 50 students. We have agreed to send at least 100 young people to companies that are members of the World Korean Trade Association, and plan to send 100 to 150 youth volunteers to developing countries. Therefore, we expect about 400 young people from Gyeonggi Province to go abroad this year."

In particular, he said, "I met or spoke directly with the governors of Michigan and Virginia in the US, discussing eco-friendly mobility, secondary batteries, and renewable energy, emphasizing innovation alliances. I had similar discussions with the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. Today, I also met the governor of Florida, where we talked about innovation alliances and human exchanges. It was a very meaningful occasion, and we established good cooperative relationships."

Governor Kim also urged proactive measures at the provincial level regarding recent issues such as jeonse fraud damages and the Gimpo Gold Line.

He said, "Please closely monitor the central government's situation and provide feedback if necessary, while also looking into what the province can do and preparing countermeasures. Regarding the Gimpo Gold Line, do your best with short-term measures, and for the mid- to long-term, proceed without delay with projects such as the extension of Line 5 and the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)."

Meanwhile, the meeting also discussed carbon neutrality measures in observance of Climate Change Week (April 22?28).

Governor Kim stated, "A few days ago, we held the Gyeonggi RE100 Vision Declaration Ceremony. The issues of climate change response and low birth rates are not matters for any single department but require the entire organization to unite and confront them head-on. Looking at the central government's basic plan, there seems to be no genuine will to tackle climate change issues sincerely, which makes the implementation of the Gyeonggi RE100 Vision even more significant."

Governor Kim also requested that special leave granted during May’s Family Month be managed so as not to cause inconvenience to civil petitioners due to work absences.