Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV.
I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week.

Article 1. Gyeonggi Enterprise SOS Service Achieves Great Success (160217-3)

[Anchor’s Headline]

In Gyeonggi Province, there is a special team that addresses industrial site issues upon request. GTV examined the results of its operations last year and found that the team has had an amazing success rate.

[Report]

▶ Food Processing Enterprise in Namyangju City
A food processing enterprise that borders a creek in Namyangju (남양주) City had to abandon its expansion work midway due to anti-flood requirements. However, when the company filed a complaint, Gyeonggi provincial officials visited the site and found that these requirements were not relevant and that the company’s expansion plan would not negatively affect flood management.

▶ Expansion Work Continues
The expansion work was then permitted, and the company is now on its way to increasing production and sales. This will also create 23 new jobs.

▶ Go Hwas-sun / CEO, Onskyfarm Ltd.
“We couldn’t proceed with our expansion plan. Thanks to emergency assistance from Gyeonggi Province, we could finish the work.”

▶ Gym Equipment Manufacturer in Paju City
A gym equipment manufacturer on the outskirts of Paju (파주) City faced difficulties with the construction of an entry road in an area under the jurisdiction of a neighboring city. In response to a complaint filed by the company, Gyeonggi Province intervened and mediated the jurisdiction issue and even provided construction support. The new road now benefits 19 enterprises in the area.

▶ Lee Geun-sik / Manager, Kaesun Sprts
“We’ve had to negotiate around restricted areas, often driving backwards. There was even an accident in which a trailer was damaged. The situation is now much better.”

▶ 99.2% of 9.731 Complaints Resolved in 2015
Last year alone, Gyeonggi Province’s Total Business Support Team, commonly known as the enterprise SOS team, resolved 99.2% of 9,731 reported complaints. Many of these actions also benefited local residents and other industries.

▶ Kim Jang-eung / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Total Business Support Team
“Gyeonggi Province has been listening to the voices of industrial sites. We will continue to assist enterprises in their operations through the resolution of site issues.”

Enterprise site-related complaints can be filed online via the Enterprise SOS homepage. The cases filed will receive immediate attention including visits by related officials.

Article 2. Gyeonggi Dietary Education Center for Children (160216-2)

[Anchor’s Headline]

In Gyeonggi Province, there are four dietary education centers for children that seek to teach good dietary habits and prevent diet-related diseases such as obesity. Education is provided through experiential and entertaining programs. One of these centers is located in Anyang (안양) City.

[Report]

▶ Dietary Education Center for Children, Anyang City
At this center, children experience inconvenience in their movements when they wear heavily padded vests that simulate obesity. They also learn the importance of washing their hands before meals by watching images that show microorganisms on their hands.

▶ Yoon Ha-yeon (aged 8) from Ansan City
“I learned about washing hands. I will wash my hands completely when I get home.”

Correcting children’s dietary habits is one of the biggest challenges faced by many parents. At this center, children learn the import
ance good dietary habits through sensory experiences and practices.

▶ Kim Da-yeon / Kindergarten Teacher
“Children don’t usually wash their hands thoroughly and have a strong tendency to eat only what they like. I think this program can correct such habits effectively.”

▶ Healthy Diet and Food Safety Promotion Project for Children
These dietary education centers are operated by Gyeonggi Province as part of the Healthy Diet and Food Safety Promotion Project for Children. Last year, more than 68,000 children visited the centers and received dietary education.

▶ KRW 15.6 Billion Required for Project Operations in 2016
This year, a total of KRW 15.6 billion including provincial support of KRW 2.4 billion will be required for an additional center and the operation of an educational musical.

▶ Kang Bong-won / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Food Culture Team
“We will establish an additional experiential center as well as school meal support centers so as to improve children’s diets.”

Gyeonggi Province also plans to assign 412 dieticians to areas more vulnerable to food safety problems, and to increase the number of children under provincial dietary management to 150,000.

Article 3. Gyeonggi Province’s Energy Vision 2030 (160212-1)

[Anchor’s Headline]

Last year, Gyeonggi Province declared its Energy Vision 2030 so as to reduce energy dependence on neighboring provinces, which account for approximately 70 percent of the total energy consumption of the province. GTV investigated the progress realized to date in this initiative.

[Report]

▶ Energy-Saving Village, Ansan City
In this Energy-Saving Village in Ansan (안산) City, residents use solar powered and energy-efficient LED lights in apartments and underground parking lots as well as on streets.

▶ Energy Consumption Significantly Reduced
LED lights have reduced energy consumption to nearly a third of previous levels, and solar power now accounts for more than a third of residential electrical supply.

▶ Ansan City Hall (February 4)
Ansan City Energy Vision 2030 Declaration Ceremony
For the first time among the cities and counties of Gyeonggi Province, Ansan (안산) City declared its own Energy Vision 2030 that includes the creation of the energy-saving villages for a targeted 100,000 households.

▶ Kim Yeong-im / Energy-Saving Village resident
“Our electricity bill was reduced from KRW 45,000 to KRW 30,000, so we saved KRW 15,000 a month.”

▶ [PIP] Kim Yang-jin / Energy-Saving Village Resident Representative
“Our next move is to expand the use of LED lights in every home.”
After the Energy Vision declaration, Gyeonggi Province established a special team to work with local governments to reduce energy consumption.

▶ Gong Jeong-sik / Director, Gyeonggi Province Energy Division
“Energy Vision means changes in our lifestyles. There is a growing awareness of it among residents and businesses. We will lead energy independence through various living environmental projects.”

Under Energy Vision 2030, Gyeonggi Province targets the creation of a new energy market of KRW 20 trillion as well as 150,000 related jobs by the year 2030.

Article 4. Gyeonggi Governor Visits Unsafe Building (160217-2)

[Anchor’s Headline]

Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil visited an old and unsafe building at high risk of collapse. This building could potentially cause tragic accidents for those within and without. Such buildings are classified as ‘disaster risk structures’.

[Report]

▶ Apartment Buildings in Gwangmyeong City
These 30-year-old apartment buildings have cracks everywhere and their foundations show significant erosion. Standing precariously on a steep hillside, these buildings pose a grave danger for local residents.

▶ 12 Households Remain
Despite the municipal evacuation order, twelve households still remain in these buildings that have been given the worst rating of Disaster Risk ‘E’ Structures. The situation is even more serious since these buildings stand on a hill only a few meters directly above a densely populated area.

▶ Seoul Yeonlip Apartment (February 16)
Disaster Risk Structure Site
Governor Nam was accompanied on this visit by Vice Governor Lee Gi-woo (이기우) and the Budget Committee members of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly.

▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Jeong Dae-wun
“At the least, building ‘Da’ must be demolished as soon as possible for the safety of people downhill.”

Governor Nam personally inspected the structures and conversed with residents who still live in the buildings. He promised support for the resolution of the situation.

▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“Please trust your city and provincial governments. The safety of your lives must come first.”

A decision was made on-site to begin demolishing the buildings, starting from the highest risk building at the end of this month.
There are 160 disaster risk structures in Gyeonggi Province, most of which are private buildings.

Article 5. Gyeonggi Orchard Farmers Receive Fire Blight Education (160216-3)

[Anchor’s Headline]

Last spring, orchards in Gyeonggi Province suffered massive damage due to fire blight, a contagious disease that affects fruit trees. A Gyeonggi agricultural institute opened a fire blight education program so as to prevent this lingering disease that can recur up to five years once it has hit an orchard.

[Report]

▶ Orchard in Anseong City
The leaves and branches of trees in this orchard are blackened as if they were burnt. It is the fire blight that has returned from last year. Fire blight is extremely contagious; all trees within a radius of 100 meters must be eliminated to prevent its spread.

▶ Paju City Agricultural Technology Center (February 15)
Fire Blight Prevention Education
The Gyeonggi Agricultural Research and Extension Services organized this education program for orchard farmers so as to minimize and prevent fire blight damage.

▶ Fire Blight Affects Fruit Trees
Once affected by fire blight, trees have little chance to survive since their leaves and branches dry out and turn black year after year.

▶ Lee Soo-yeong / Chief Official, Technology Transfer Division, GARES
“We opened this education program since most farmers do not understand fire blight well. Education will include visits to the affected orchards.”

▶ Education in Fire Blight Prevention and Treatment
The education program includes indoor and outdoor classes about the cause and symptoms of the disease as well as prevention and treatment methods, especially pruning techniques. Specialists advise the use pesticides at the end of March before the flowering season.

▶ Eum Mun-il / Orchard Farmer
“I learned much about fire blight and about how to prevent the disease. Today’s education was very helpful.”

The fire blight education program has begun a provincial tour of ten cities and counties, beginning with Paju (파주) City.

Article 6. Gyeonggi Province to Further Develop Gwangmyeong Cave (160217-1)

[Anchor’s Headline]

Gyeonggi Province recently entered an agreement with Gwangmyeong (광명) City and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization for the development of the existing Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave into a representative tourist destination of the province.

[Report]

▶ Gwangmyeong Cave
Formerly an abandoned mine, Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave is already an established tourism site that features high-tech cultural performances as well as historic displays.

▶ Cultural, Artistic & Historic Site in Cave Setting
Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave is the first cultural, artistic and historic site developed in a cave setting.

▶ Noh Hwa-yeong / Seoul Resident
“Unlike other caves that feature little else other than the cave, there are many other things to enjoy here. I will bring my nephews and nieces next time.”

▶ Average 30,000 Visitors per Month
Since it opened in 2011 as a unique tourism site, Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave has attracted more than 30,000 visitors each month on average.

▶ Gwangmyeong Cave Tourism Promotion Agreement (February 16)
Under the agreement, Gyeonggi Province will provide support for the promotion of the cave through further tourism development.

▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“Working together with Gwangmyeong City, we will secure a budget for the development of Gwangmyeong Cave into a world-class tourist destination.”

▶ Gyeonggi to Participate in Tourism Content Development and Promotion
The secured budget will be used for the development and promotion of tourism contents at the cave.
Gyeonggi Province will also participate in the linking of the site with other tourist destinations in the area so as to enhance the value of the cave as a major tourist attraction.

Article 7. Gyeonggi Business Environment Support in 2015 (160216-01)

[Anchor’s Headline]

Gyeonggi Province has been operating a business environment improvement program annually for small and medium enterprises. Last year, more than 2,600 enterprises benefited from this program.

[Report]

▶ Young Tex Inc., Yangju City
This textile processing company recently suffered a fire that destroyed its employee residence. Resident employees have since been living in temporary container accommodations. However, with support from Gyeonggi Province, the employee residence and other facilities will be completely restored this year.

▶ Kim Beom-yeop / Manager, Yopung Tex Inc.
“Container homes are very cold during the winter and very warm during the summer. We will have greatly improved accommodations and amenities thanks to provincial support.”

Gyeonggi Province’s business environment support program aims to assist small and medium enterprises with the improvement of basic facilities and working environments. More than 34,000 workers benefited from this support last year alone.

[CG] From this year, the improvement self-contribution rate of enterprises with less than 10 employees was reduced to 10 percent. Also, subject facilities for support include parking lots and walkways as well as work area expansions.

▶ Kim Jang-eung / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Enterprise SOS Team
“We are providing support to those enterprises that have inferior working and living conditions as well as basic facilities such as entry roads, sewers and water supplies.”

Each year, more small enterprises with environmental issues benefit from this provincial support program.

Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV.
We look forward to seeing you again next week.