Kim Dongyeon: "Making North Jeolla the Eco Capital... Strengthening Agriculture, Bio, and Climate Industries"

Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province and a preliminary presidential candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on April 24, "I will transform North Jeolla Province into the mecca of South Korea's green bioindustry and elevate it to a global city."

On the morning of April 24, Governor Kim announced separate policy pledges for the regions of North Jeolla, South Jeolla, and Gwangju. He first introduced the 'ABC' strategy to make North Jeolla the eco-capital of South Korea. In this strategy, A stands for Agriculture, B for Bio, and C for Climate Tech.

Governor Kim said, "We will move beyond traditional agriculture to climate agriculture and technology-driven agriculture, transforming North Jeolla into an outpost for protecting future food sovereignty. We will also focus on the industrialization of agriculture, establishing convergence clusters, and developing specialized agricultural and life science universities (such as Chonbuk National University and Wonkwang University) to nurture young agricultural talent."

He also pledged to create a bio research-specialized complex, attract large corporations centered on the agricultural life sciences and bioindustry, and establish a clinical data platform for microbiome-based agricultural foods. For the climate industry, he proposed creating a 'RE100 Line' as part of a West Coast renewable energy belt. Governor Kim stated, "We will actively pursue the Saemangeum renewable energy cluster and the east-west cross-country railway between Jeonju and Gimcheon, both of which have lost momentum due to the Yoon Sukyeol administration's nuclear power policies."

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For South Jeolla Province, his policy pledges include establishing a national medical school and expanding healthcare infrastructure. Governor Kim said, "We will establish a national medical school in South Jeolla Province to strengthen public healthcare in the southwest region, as well as enhance staff and facilities at public hospitals." He also explained, "To foster regional future industry clusters, we will promote the construction of a large corporate city." He emphasized the expansion of the regional transportation network, including the high-speed upgrade of the Jeolla Line (Iksan to Yeosu) railway and the Yeosu-Suncheon expressway. He also pledged to support the early completion of the Yeosu Gyeongdo marine tourism complex, which has been postponed to 2029.

Regarding policy pledges for Gwangju, he aims to establish the city as South Korea's leading AI (artificial intelligence) and future mobility corporate hub. Governor Kim said, "We will support attracting companies and building infrastructure within the Gwangju Future Vehicle National Industrial Complex, and we will change the name of the 5.18 'Democratization Movement' to the 5.18 'Gwangju People's Uprising.'" He also pledged a "big deal" to relocate and revitalize the Gwangju civil-military airport. Governor Kim stated, "We will seek a grand social compromise within the region, prioritizing resident consent above all else."

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