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. Legal Support for Near-Bankrupt Individuals (1221-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
In order to help individuals who, because of overwhelming debt, have difficulties leading normal lives or continuing businesses, Gyeonggi Province has introduced a legal support program.

[Report]
▶ Lawyer’s Office, Suwon City
When, as a personal guarantor, Kim assumed the debt of an acquaintance, he had to quit his job and start his own business. However, his business was not successful and Kim’s debt grew to almost KRW 800 million. He is now under continuous pressure from debt collectors.

▶ Kim Min-woo (alias)
“When exactions began, I couldn’t distinguish debt collector calls from business calls. It made me more frustrated.”

▶ Gyeonggi Introduces Legal Representation Support for Debtors
However, Kim has now been freed from debt collectors thanks to Gyeonggi Province’s legal representation support arrangements for debtors.

▶ Debt Collectors Fined KRW 20 Million for a Direct Exaction Attempt
Introduced in cooperation with regional bar associations, this support system provides debtors with the legal representation services of designated lawyers. Any attempt by creditors to directly contact debtors will be subject to a fine of KRW 20 million.

▶ Support Agreement between Gyeonggi Province & Suwon Regional Court
▶ Bankruptcy Petition Process Shortened
In addition, Gyeonggi Province also secured an agreement with the Suwon Regional Court for the priority treatment of bankruptcy petitions that will speed up the entire process from the previous eighteen months to only eleven months.

▶ Huh Nam-seok / Director, Gyeonggi Province Legal Affairs Division
Debtors can now continue with their lives and businesses free from repayment pressure so that they can re-establish themselves economically and socially. This is an example of legal welfare provided by …”

▶ Applications for Debtor Representation Services
▶ Gyeonggi Province Free Legal Consultation Office (☎ 031-8008-2234)
Applications for initial interviews for legal debtor representation services are being received via the Gyeonggi Province Free Legal Consultation Office.

Article 2. Winter Charity Events for Homeless Held at Suwon Station (151217-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The winter season, especially around Christmas and New Year’s Day, sees charity organizations and groups hold numerous events for people in difficult situations. Our reporter visited one such event for homeless individuals held at Suwon Station Plaza.

[Report]
▶ Suwon Station Plaza (December 16)
‘2015 Street Banquet for Christmas’

Through donations and work, many volunteers participated in this event that consisted of entertaining performances, gift presentations and free meals. Homeless individuals forgot the cold and enjoyed the performances while wearing winter clothes they had received as holiday gifts.

Volunteers, including Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil, served 400 meals they had prepared the previous night.

▶ [PIP] Lee Hae-man / Volunteer
“I feel very happy and gratified to have participated in serving meals to those living in difficult situations.”

There are also many seniors among the homeless who rarely enjoy warm, home-cooked meals

▶ Kim Jeong-ki / Homeless Senior
“I had a good meal, received gifts and listened to good people who boosted my spirits”
“I feel good and happy, and I am very grateful.”

There was also a special corner for medical services including health checkups and the dispensing of medicines as well as for haircuts, all run free of charge by volunteers.

▶ [PiP] Jang Yong-jae / Volunteer
“I like what I am doing. I am very happy to be able to offer homeless friends my haircut services. They truly appreciate my services, too.”

This charity event for the homeless is one of many such events that will occur during the winter for underprivileged families and individuals.

Article 3. Resident-initiated Energy Saving Projects in Gyeonggi Province (151221-2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
In Gyeonggi Province, there are local communities in which residents voluntarily work together to reduce energy consumption. These communities were recognized by the provincial administration for their environment-conscious initiatives that can rarely be seen among residential communities.

[Report]
▶ Seoksu I-Park Apartment (Anyang) Designated as Energy Saving Community
An apartment complex in Anyang (안양) City was designated as an Energy Saving Community by Gyeonggi Province.

▶ Formation of Energy Reduction Management
▶ Creation of Energy Diagnosis Specialist
▶ Implementation of Carbon Point System
What made this community stand out was that their energy reduction efforts stem not simply from a need for energy cost reduction but instead from an awareness of the beneficial effects for the environment. Residents established their own organization for the promotion of such awareness as well as for energy savings. They also appointed energy monitors from among themselves for the diagnosis of energy usage by each household. They even implemented a carbon point system that provides cash incentives for the amount of energy saved.

▶ Jeong Jeom-im / Apartment Resident
“Our two-person teams monitor energy consumption and provide energy usage consultation services. There is no reserve electricity being wasted in our community. Energy bills have been reduced significantly.”

▶ Seoho Primary School, Suwon City
This primary school recently received an award of excellence from Gyeonggi Province for its successful performance in energy consumption reduction. This award system is part of Gyeonggi Province’s Green School Project launched this year.

This school was able to reduce its energy consumption by operating a control system that monitors and automatically controls energy consumption in each classroom.

▶ Lee Byeong-jun / Principal, Seoho Primary School
“We are determined to reduce energy consumption not simply to save energy costs but also to improve the quality of our lives by wisely coping with climate changes. Energy saving is our future.”

Gyeonggi Province awarded incentives of KRW 1 million in value to 6 residential communities as well as to 4 schools for their exemplary energy saving practices.

▶ Oh Jae-seong / Director, Gyeonggi Province Climate & Air Quality Management Division
Our non-industrial sector consultants are circulating among private homes, residential communities, and schools for energy-saving promotion and consultations”

Gyeonggi Province plans to expand its promotion of voluntary energy-saving movements to the industrial sector as well as to non-industrial sectors.

Article 4. Gyeonggi Social Enterprises Thrive in Online Markets (151222-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
Social economic enterprises that launched their products via nationwide online markets with the support of Gyeonggi Province are realizing large increases in sales. Our reporter examined the details.

[Report]
▶ Zandari Village Enterprise
This bean curd manufacturer in Osan (오산) City is a community enterprise. Over the past three months, since Gyeonggi Province helped this company launch its products via major online markets in Korea, this company’s sales have grown rapidly. It now enjoys profits greater than 20 percent and has expanded its business with food-experience programs. The company has been widely recognized for its achievements.

▶ Hong Jin-e / Representative, Zandari Village Enterprise
“With intensive promotional support from the provincial government, our exposure and popularity among consumers increased significantly, which resulted in greatly increased sales.”

▶ 30 Gyeonggi Social Enterprises Launched via Online Markets
This past July, Gyeonggi Province entered an agreement with G-Market and Auction, two major online markets in Korea, and launched 30 social economic enterprises of the province via these markets.

▶ Online Sales of KRW 150 Million Achieved in 3 Months
In just three months since their online launch, with continuous promotional support from the province, these enterprises were able to achieve combined sales of KRW 150 million. Gyeonggi Province now leads online social enterprise sales in Korea.

▶ Lee Jong-deok / Director, Gyeonggi Province Social Economy General Support Center
“With the increased budget next year, we will provide social economic enterprises with occasional and seasonal marketing support so as to help them increase sales.”

Gyeonggi Province will also expand online marketing development support for more social economic enterprises next year.

Article 5. Gyeonggi to Introduce Savings Accounts for Young Workers (151218-2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
There are many young workers who are living on meager salaries because well-paid employment is too hard to find. In order to help these youths financially, Gyeonggi Province will introduce a deposit account product that combines monthly personal savings with provincial support.

[Report]
Kim is 28 years old and works as a public relations intern at a private company. He will have to return to job searching when his internship period expires. Although he urgently needs to prepare for his future, including marriage, saving money is currently beyond his means.

▶ Kim Jin-won / Intern
“It’s not easy to make a sizeable sum of money while working as an intern. I wish I could save some money to invest in my future self, like for marriage and such, but…”

▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (December 15)
Cooperation Agreement for Establishment of Working Youth Account
For the introduction of this deposit account, tentatively titled “Working Youth Account’, Gyeonggi Province signed a cooperation agreement with financial institutes.

▶ ‘Working Youth Account’ Support Program
The Gyeonggi Province-supported bank deposit account will help youths maintain their current jobs and prepare for the future.

▶ KRW 10 Million Returned After Monthly Deposits of KRW 100,000 for 3 Years
After three years of deposits of only KRW 100,000 per month, holders of this account will receive KRW 10 million, which can be used for future personal endeavors, provided that the account holder maintains employment.

▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“We will expand the number of the recipients of this support depending on the initial operation results. I hope that this program will eventually spread nationwide for our youths.”

▶ 500 Youths Aged 18-34 with Monthly Income Less Than KRW 1.25 Million
This deposit account support, which will be introduced in March next year, will initially be provided to 500 youths of 18 to 24 years of age whose monthly income is less than KRW 1.25 million.

Article 6. Gyeonggi Holds Regulation Rationalization Meeting (151221-3)
[Anchor’s Headline]
On December 17, Gyeonggi Province convened a meeting to discuss ways in which to rationalize regulations in northern provincial regions. The northern regions of Gyeonggi Province feature numerous military facilities that require development restrictions that are more extensive than those of other regions.

[Report]
▶ Development Restriction Zone, Uijeongbu City
This area of Uijeongbu (의정부) City is within a development restriction zone, commonly referred to as a green belt. Although an expressway has been constructed through the area, its underside is still bound by development restrictions despite persistent complaints by residents.

▶ Cheon Seung-hui / Resident, Sangok-dong, Uijeongbu City
“The green belt concept no longer is valid in areas under the expressway. Deregulation is absolutely necessary for the local economy and for the lives of local residents.”

▶ Northern Gyeonggi Regulation Rationalization Meeting (December 17)
The concerned areas include Paldang (팔당) special management areas as well as military facility protection zones within the green belts. These areas are subject to multiple regulations, many of which are regarded as irrational or impractical.

▶ Green Belts Result in Over-development of Urban Areas
The green belts, which were originally aimed at preventing excessive urban expansion, are now causing the over-development of urban areas.

▶ Lee Byeon-gil / Gyeonggi Province Regulatory Committee Chairman
“Gyeonggi Province is home to all sorts of multiple regulations and packaged regulations. Deregulation will have significant effects including the creation of approximately 150,000 jobs.”

▶ Regulations for Military Facility Protection also Need Mitigation
There was also a prevailing sentiment about the necessity for the mitigation of regulations for military facility protection. Many argued that deregulation is necessary up to the point where it avoids impacting military purposes.

▶ Byeon Gi-jong / LH Corp. Chief Military Facility Relocation Consultant
“Many military protection zones are within the proximity of arsenals. The safety distances from these areas are much more limited than those supposed based on military purposes.”

Gyeonggi Province will continue to pursue the mitigation of multiple regulations in northern provincial regions through various endeavors.

Article 7. Warm & Blessed Village Idea Contest (151222_2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
Gyeonggi Province has been implementing Warm & Blessed Village projects for the establishment of economic rental housing for university students, young couples and working youths. Recently, a contest was held to foster ideas for inclusion in future Warm & Blessed Village construction.

[Report]
▶ Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center (December 18)
Gyeonggi Province Future Housing Idea Contest
Out of more than 100 contestants, 8 were selected for the finals that took place on December 18. Each contestant presented the housing ideas they had created for young residents. The Warm & Blessed Village Project is part of Gyeonggi Province’s Warm & Blessed Community promotion policy.

▶ [PiP] Park Jae-young / Contest Finalist
“Rooms can be re-created to meet the needs of residents without structural constraints. The spaces created can be used as storage rooms, dressing rooms, offices, studies or reading rooms.”

▶ “MMU Housing’ Won Top Prize of KRW 7 Million
Ideas were graded by a panel of judges and voting by audience members. The top award with prize money of KRW 7 million went to an idea, titled MMU Housing, which creates variable spaces using movable furniture. This idea won the top score for its customizable, space-effective design.

▶ Oh Nam-taek / Top Prize Winer
“There were many good ideas presented at this Warm & Blessed Village idea contest. I hope that many of these ideas will actually be used and appreciated by young residents.”

▶Warn & Bless Villages to Be Completed in 2017
Using the ideas created by the winners of this contest, the construction of the Warm & Blessed Villages will be completed in 2017.

▶ Kim Cheol-jung / Director, Gyeonggi Province Housing Policy Division
“(After this contest) I feel confident that we can construct economic, good quality housing that reflects the Warm & Blessed Village concept.”

The construction of the Warm & Blessed Villages with creative ideas will now begin with the full support of Gyeonggi Province.

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