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.Warm & Blessed Villagesto be Developed in Suwon(0917)
[Anchor’s Headline]
A dilapidated neighborhood in Suwon City was designated by Gyeonggi Province for development asa Warm & Blessed Village.On September 16, the development project commenced with a meeting with local residents as well assafety and environmental design specialists.

[Report]
▶Ji-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon City
Until recently, this neighborhood has occasionallybeen the scene of some minor and major crimes. Passages are narrow and many old buildings have been left abandonedfor many years,creating aneerie atmosphere. The neighborhood is also within a development restriction zone.

▶Bae Yong-ja / Local Resident
“There are many empty houses in some areas, where streets are even darker. It is scary to pass through these areas.”

This ingloriousarea, Ji-dong (지동), will now be transformed by Gyeonggi Province and Suwon City into a safe, Warm & Blessed Village.

▶Ji-dong Resident Center, Suwon (September 16)
Ji-dong Safe Warm & Blessed Village Promotion Meeting

This preliminarymeeting sought to gather specialist opinions about the assurance of urban safety as well as project options for crime prevention through environmental design.

▶Gyeonggi Province Social Integration Vice Governor Lee Gi-woo
“We focus on creating a community based on specialist opinionswhile respecting the ownership of residents, instead of driving with administration initiatives. Since we have already set the direction, the project will now proceed at a quick pace.”

The major challenges faced by the project are how to accommodate the needs of 1,500 Korean-Chinese living in Ji-dong (지동) and how local history should be reflected in the new village. Some specialists think that theencouragement ofresident initiativesis most important.

▶Go Gyeong-a / Local Businesswoman
“Development of this area has been restricted due to its proximity to a historic fortress. I think it is up to residents to create a safe community now and to clear their hometown of its unfavorable reputation.”

Gyeonggi Province will continue to have dialogues with residents and specialists tofinalize detailed development plans by July next year and totransform Ji-dong (지동) into one of the safest communities in Korea by 2017.
 
Article 2.Gyeonggi Launches Institutional Environment Forum (0916)
[Anchor’s Headline]
On September 15, Gyeonggi Province established the Environment Forum as aninstitutionalbody with the aim of addressing environmental issues more actively by working with environmental groups. Our reporter attended its first activities, commemorative events for the launch of the forum.

[Report]
▶Paldang Lake
A Paldang (팔당) Lake ecology tour opened as an Environment Forum workshop. The man-made Paldang (팔당) Lake is an important water source and home to manyaquaticorganismsas well as more than forty migrating bird species.

▶ [PIP]Min Hyeon-suk / Tour Participant, Siheung City
“I saw (Paldang Lake) the way we normally don’t. I was fascinated by how many cormorants are living on the lake.”

▶Gyeonggi Environment Forum Workshops
At another forumworkshop, eco-friendly house building techniques using natural materials and solar systems,offered demonstrations.The heating costs of houses constructed in this mannerare said to be only one third of those of concrete buildings.
Through theforum, Gyeonggi Province will work with private organizations and individualson a range of environmental activities from natural conservation to those related to the lives of residents.

▶Gyeonggi Province Social Integration Vice Governor Lee Gi-woo
“From next year, we will sponsor forums on a regular basis. These forums will enable us to formulatemany potential environmental policies through communication.”

▶Forums to Focus Issues in Six Categories
The topics to be dealt with at the forum as well as by its activity programs will coverareas in six environmental categories including biodiversity, water, air, energy, resources and education.
 
Article 3.GyeonggiCoalition Produces Tentative Projects for 2016 (0914)
[Anchor’s Headline]
During its financial strategic meeting held this monthfor next year’s budget, Gyeonggi Provincetentatively selected thirty-two specificprojects out of seventy-six proposed plans for next year. Our reporter examined the details.

[Report]
▶Gyeonggi ProvinceFinancial Strategic Meeting
Tentative Selection of Projects for 2016
The selectionswere made at Gyeonggi Province’s financial strategic meetingby a sub-committee of the Coalition Executive Committee.

▶32 Projects Selected from 76 Proposed
The original seventy-six projects were proposed by the Coalition Executive Committee earlier this year. The tentative selectionswere made after a consensus was achievedamong the committee membersfrom both the ruling and opposition parties, and were hence dubbed “projects-by-coalition”. These include welfare projects for economic minorities, a DMZ tourism promotion project and other major provincial projects such as the Big-Fi project. The total budget for these projects amounts to KRW 1.3 trillion.

▶Oh Tae-seok / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Budget Coordination Team
“We have scrutinized and discussed projects through coalition four times to date. The fourth strategic meeting finally achieved tangible results that can be included in next year’s budget.”

The financial strategic meetings will continue until final project selection,which will take place during November, fifty days before the commencement of the next fiscal year.
 
Article 4.First Double-decker Operations to Begin in September (0917-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The first double-decker bus operations in Korea are slated to begin at the end of September on a busy route between Gimpo (김포) City of Gyeonggi Provinceand central Seoul.

[Report]
▶Hangang New Town, Gimpo City
In the morning at a bus stop in Gimpo (김포) City of Gyeonggi Province, commuters queue up to board a bus bound for Seoul.

▶Park Cheon-woo / Wunyang-dong, Gimpo City
“You have to be lucky to be able to board the bus even without a seat. I couldn’t get on that bus. I have been thinking of buying a car for commuting. If I could use buses with a guaranteed seat, it would be great.”

In this area where the population has grown rapidly in recent years, there are more than 10,000 daily commuters to Seoul.

▶Yun Su-chan / Wunyang-dong, Gimpo City
“I travel standing for an hour. The situation will improve greatlywhen double-decker bus operations begin. I hope they begin soon.”

The inconveniences faced by long-distance red bus users are a fact of life in many locations around Seoul.

▶Double-decker Bus Operations to Alleviate Travel Inconveniences
The operation of double-decker busesis expected to alleviate such inconveniences significantly.

▶Operations to Begin on Gimpo-to-Seoul Route
For the first time in Korea, double-decker buses will be used on a route between Gimpo and Seoul City Hall.

▶72 Seats with CCTV and USB Ports
These buses are 4 meters high and have seventy-two seats, thirty more than ordinary buses.The buses were designed primarily for the safety and convenience of passengers. There are two exits for easy boarding and alighting. Seven CCTV cameras allow the driver to monitor the entire interior of the bus as well as outside. There isevena USB port at each seat.

▶Lim Seong-man / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Good Morning Bus Promotion Team
“Each bus will have the effect of operating 1.7 to 1.8 normal buses, especially during commuting hours as well as on the last run at night when there are many passengers.”

Red buses serve nearly 600,000 users daily. Gyeonggi Province plans to increase the number of double-decker buses to twenty-five on additional routesby the end of this year  

Article 5.Korea International Boat Show Obtains UFI Certification (0916)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The Korea International Boat Show obtained certification from the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, or UFI. One of the three largest boat shows in Asia,the Korea International Boat Showhas now become the first boat show in Asia to be recognized by all three world-leading exhibition certifiers: the US Department of Commerce, the IFBSO and UFI.

[Report]
Since it began in 2008, the Korea International Boat Show has grown larger each year in terms of the number of participants and visitors as well as trade results.

▶Gyeonggi International Boat Show Obtains UFI Certification
UFI certification is regarded asprestigiousrecognition by the union of the world-leading trade organizers and the exhibition industry. The KoreaInternational Boat Show received certification from the US Department of Commerce in 2013 and platinum-class certification from the International Federation of Boat Show Organizers in 2014.

▶Only Boat Show in Asia Recognized by Both US Department of Commerce and UFI
The UFI is well-knownfor its stringent assessment procedures for certification. Of 15,000 exhibitions currently being held around the world, only nine hundred have managed to secure its certification, accounting for approximately 6 percent. The UFI applies selection criteria that are more demanding than those of other certifying bodies. With UFI certification, thisGyeonggi-operated boat show has acquired four official recognitions including thosereceived from the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for five consecutive years since 2010.

▶Kim Chung-hwan / Gyeonggi Province International Trade Division Official
“This means that our shownow has increased credibility as a market for buyers and participants. We plan to expand the scope of the exhibition by working not just inside Korea but with overseas connections as well.”

▶Next Korea International Boat Show Scheduled for May 19 to 22
Next year’s Korea International Boat Show will run simultaneouslyat two venues, KINTEX in Goyang City and Ara Marina in Gimpo City,from May 19 to 22.
 

Article 6.Marine Biological Treatment of Food Waste (0917)
[Anchor’s Headline]
A technological institute in Gyeonggi Provincehas developed a food waste treatment technology using marine microorganisms, the first of its kind in the world. This method is economical in many ways. Our reporter examined the details.

[Report]
In this magnified image, marine protozoashaped like grains ofrice become active and begin to move quicklyas soon as food waste is introduced. They devour the food waste and,not long afterwards,grow four times larger and begin to multiply.

▶World’s First Food Waste Treatment Using Marine Microorganisms
This technologywas developed by the Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology in Gyeonggi Province.

▶Park Jae-yeon, Ph.D. / Researcher, Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology
“The water generated from waste food treatment process contains 3 percent salt on average and a large amount of organic substances. It provides a good habitatand sustenancefor these marine protozoa. That is where this technology was developed from.”

▶4 Times Faster and Eco-friendly Food Waste Water Treatment
Using this method, food waste water, which accounts for 80 percent of average food waste, can be treated within a week without any other chemical agents.

▶By-product Can be Used to Produce Multiple-Purpose Oil
After digesting food waste, these marine microorganisms produce biomass as a by-product. This biomass contains oil with multiple utilization possibilities such as in cosmetics and food.

▶Park Jae-yeon, Ph.D. / Researcher, Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology
“Seventy percent of this oil is a precursor to bio-diesel, and 30% is unsaturated fatty acid. This means that it can be used in industrial applications that require diesel or unsaturated fatty acid.”

This technology will be ready for commercial use after two or three years of trial applications.
 

Article 7.K-Beauty Expo Held in Gyeonggi Province(0918)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The K-Beauty Expo, featuring the present and future of the beauty industry of Korea, was held at KINTEX in Goyang City for four days from September 17. This year’s event saw the participation of many more overseas buyers than on previous occasions. Our reporter was there.

[Report]
Instead of being applied with hands, a fine mist of whitening and anti-aging agents are sprayed on the skin directly to avoid any trouble or irritation that bacteria from hands may cause. A cleanser product in bead form can used on any part of the body including hair, and can easily be carried for travelling. An automatic nail printer creates nail art of a selected design on five finger nails, attracting interest from many visitors.

▶Lim Gyeong-bin / Visitor
“It is more efficient than the job done by a nail artist because I can select the design I like. It’s nice to gain good information about skin care and nail art during a single visit.”

▶KINTEX, Goyang City (September 17 – 20)
The 7th K-Beauty Expo
This year marks the seventh occasion of this Korean beauty expo. At the opening ceremony, Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-piloffered praise and expressed best wishes for the Korean beauty industry, which is the sixth largest in the world.

▶Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
”The beauty industry is one of the promising growth engines of the future. I hope this expo will give considerable impetus to its advancement.”

▶400 Enterprises Met 130 Buyers from 30 Nations
This expo featured 400 participating enterprises and 130 overseas buyers from 30 countries.

▶Number of Overseas BuyersIncreased 30%
The number of overseas buyers increased 30 percent, many of whom showed great interest in the products of small and medium-sized producers.

▶Julian Moreno Sanchez / Buyer from Spain
“I am glad I came to this expo where I can do actual business. What I am interested in now is finding a skincare maker that can launch into the Spanish market.”

▶Special Offers, Demonstrations, and Gifts for Visitors
Visitors to booths were often provided with free cosmetic treatments on site and special offers at greatly discounted prices as well as gift items.

▶Cosmetics, Nail Art, Fitness and Fashion Items Showcased
During the expo, a wide variety of beauty care, nail care, fitness and fashion products manufactured by large and small enterprises were showcased. The expo closed on September 20.

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