Article 1. Self-driving Commuters Decrease in Gyeonggi Province(0421-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
According to a recent survey, the number of self-driving commuters among workers in Gyeonggi Province has been in a continuous decline while an increasing number of people are choosing to use public transportation for daily commutingeach year.
[Report]
1) Fewer Self-driving Commuters Each Year
Such a transition from self-driving to public transportas a means of commutinghas been becoming statistically evident in the province since 2010.
[CG]
It was revealed by the survey,conducted annually by the Gyeonggi Research Institute, thatthe rate of self-driving by commuting adults has decreased from 58.4 percent in 2010 to 57.8 percent in 2011 and 56.7 percent in 2012.
2) More Subway Users
While the number of bus riders remains unchanged at approximately 19 percent, the number of subway users increased from 6.2 percent in 2010 to 6.6 percent in 2012, and the number of commuters using both public transport means increased from 6.5 percent in 2010 to 8 percent in 2012.
3) Metropolitan Lines and Integrated Transfer Discount System
Such changes are attributed to the expansion of metropolitan railway lines and the application of the integrated transfer discount tem in Seoul and the surrounding regions.
4) Kim Chae-man / Researcher, Gyeonggi Research Institute
“Large investments have been made in the construction of metropolitan railway lines to improve the competitiveness of railways. The integrated transfer discount tem also plays a part in improving the competitiveness of public transport…”
5) Fewer Gyeonggi–Seoul Commuters
The number of commuters from Gyeonggi Province to Seoul also decreased from 25.1 percent in 2006 to 22.7 percent in 2012.
However, personal vehicles are still a more popular means of transportation than bus, subwayor railway lines among Gyeonggi Province-to-Seoul commuters, accounting for 38.6 percent.
 
Article 2. N. Gyeongsang Province Adopts Gyeonggi T-Doctor Program(0422-2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
North Gyeongsang (경상) Province became the fourth autonomous body in Korea to benchmark and adopt the T-Doctor System of Gyeonggi Province that provides technological support to small venture enterprises.
[Report]
1) Venture Company in Ansan City
This small enterprise in Ansan (안산) City of Gyeonggi Province,which specializesin pressurized beveragedispenser safety technology,was established in 2012 with little more than ideas.
Faced with difficulties in product development from the very beginning, the company turned to the provincial T-Doctor program after numerous unsuccessful attempts at gaining access to various governmental support programs.
2) T-Doctor Provided Technical Consultations
Under the guidance of the designated T-Doctor, the company was finally able to develop multifunctional devices which arenowpatented in the United States, Japan and Germany.
3) Park Jong-ha / Founder of Camfron Ind. Co.
“T-Doctor of Gyeonggi Provincemade it easy for us to overcome problems with development and operation as well as many other areas that a new business has to deal with.”
The T-Doctor program is a technical support program in which a team of experts provides enterprises in technical crisis with on-site assistance.
4) T-Doctor Program Spreads to Other Autonomous Bodies
The T-Doctor program of Gyeonggi Province is now being benchmarked by other autonomous bodies in Korea.
[CG]
North Gyeongsang (경상) Province became the fourth autonomous body in Korea to adopt theT-Doctor program since its introduction in Gyeonggi Province in 2009, following Gumi (구미) City and Uljoo (울주) County.
5) Choi Gang-seon / Head of Technical Support Headquarters, Gyeonggi Technopark
“North Gyeongsang (경상) Province adopted our program using the same name, T-Doctor. Small enterprises with technical problems in those regions can now benefit from their local T-Doctor programs.”
The Gyeonggi Provincial Governmenthas set the target for this year’s T-Doctor support at 747 cases, nearly twice the number achieved last year, while planning to promote the spread of the program throughout the nation.
 
Article.3. BASF to Establish R&D Center in Gyeonggi(0423-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
On April 18th, Gyeonggi Province signed an agreement with BASF in Korea, part of the German multinational chemical group, and Sungkyunkwan (성균관) University to provide support for the establishment of an R&D center.
[Report]
Formally consolidated as BASF Company, Ltd., in 1998, it has emerged as a major chemical operation in Korea. It currently has more than 1,000 employees and annual sales of over KRW 2 trillion.
1) Electronic Materials R&D Center
This R&D center will focus on the development of electronic materials jointly with Sungkyunkwan (성균관) University.
2) R&D Center Support Agreement / Sungkyunkwan University (April 18th)
The support agreement was also signed by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Suwon City and the Korea Trade Association.
3) Shin Woo-seong / Managing Director, BASF Company Ltd.
“We have felt the necessity to decentralize research capacities. I am pleased that the first of such diversification, the R&D center for electronic materials, will be established in Korea.”
The BASF R&D center will be located on the first and second floors of the General Research Building on the Natural Science Campus of Sungkyunkwan (성균관) University in Suwon (수원) City.
4) Development of Next-generation Displays and Electronic Materials
The center will begin operations in September this year developing next-generation materials of high added-value for displays and electronics.
5) Contributions to Domestic Economy Anticipated
This center is expected to have huge effects on domestic industry with its industrial contributions, which areprojected to be approximately KRW 220 billion, and the creation 42 research jobs and 280 indirect positions.
6) Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo
“I am certain that it will have great positive effects on domestic industry and the lives of people, and that it will become a world-class research center…”
According to the agreement, BASF will give Gyeonggi Province priority consideration for future R&D investment, and will extend cooperation with local enterprises and in the development of quality manpower. 
Article 4. Age-old Intercity Sewage Treatment Conflict Resolved (0421-3)
[Anchor’s Headline]
An eight-year-old conflict among five cities of Gyeonggi Province over the sharing of a sewage treatment plant was recently resolved after eight months of mediation by the provincial government.
[Report]
The conflict began when five cities in the vicinity of the Bakdal (박달) Sewage Treatment Plant in Anyang (안약) City failed to reach an agreement on the sharing of interests in the plant.
1) Cooperation Agreement on Water Management Policy (April 17th)
However, the cities of Anyang (안양), Gwangmyeong (광명), Gunpo (군포), Uiwang (의왕) and Gwacheon (과천) finally reached an agreement on April 17ththanks to mediation by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government.
2) Shim Gi-bo / Anyang City Vice Mayor
“I appreciate the understanding ofthe vice mayors of other cities and the head of the Paldal Water Quality Improvement Headquarters.”
The Bakdal (박달) Plant served the cities of Anyang (안양), Gunpo (군포), and Uiwang (의왕) until 2006 when those cities sought to reconstruct the plant underground to eliminate noxious odors that had become an issue due to additional inflow from development zones in Gwangmyeong (광명) City.
3) Five Cities Disagreed on Equity and Capacity Sharing
Provincial permission was given on the condition that use of the plant be also shared with the cities of Gwangmyeong (광명) and Gwacheon (과천).
Since then, the five cities had been unable to reach an agreement on to howthe equity and capacity of the new underground plant should be shared.
4) Conflict Deepened by Introduction of Total Maximum Water Contamination Load System
The conflict deepened when the Total Maximum Water Contamination Load System was introduced last year, causing the cities to vie for greater maximum load shares.
The sub sequent in conveniences faced by local residents due to the delay in the reconstruction of the sewage treatment plant have been mounting.
5) Agreement Reached after Mediation by Gyeonggi Province
The conflict was finally resolved and an agreement reached among the cities after eight months of persistent mediation by Gyeonggi Province.
6) Kim Geun-joong / Chief, Gyeonggi Province Paldal Water Quality Improvement Headquarters
“We met more than twenty times and were finally able to resolve the differences among the cities in the sharing (of the sewage treatment plant).”
The successful resolution of this sewage treatment plant sharing issue in Gyeonggi Province is expected to serve as an exemplary case of conflict resolution among autonomous bodies in Korea.
 
Article 5. Gyeonggi Reading Portal Site “BookMagic” Opens (0422-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
For the first time among autonomous bodies in Korea, a book reading portal site was opened in Gyeonggi Province. Entitled, “BookMagic”, this site provides information about libraries and books, as well as reading activities and programs.
[Report]
1) Reading Portal Site “BookMagic” / www.BookMagic.kr
Opened by the Gyeonggi Cyber Library on April 20th, the BookMagic site features a number of categories that were designed to help visitors of all ages familiarize themselves with reading.
2) Books of a Lifetime – Recommended Books for All Ages
The Books of a Lifetime category contains the deions and points to note for each of a thousand recommended books selected for different age groups and subjects.
3) [INTERVIEW]Park Gyeong-sook / Gyeonggi Province Library Policy DivisionLibrary Team Leader
“The book selection and writing of related information was done by book specialists so as to help viewers of different age groups from preschoolers to seniors select books of their choice.”
4) Thousand Must-read Books
The books in this category have been selected by professors and librarians as the must-read works of a lifetime.
5) ChaeksuriMasuri– Book Reading Activity Programs
Another category is an online version of book-reading activity programs that are currently popular at public libraries.
Especially useful to parents of primary school children, this category features free download links to book-reading programs such as sticker book-making program sand quiz programs that can be run at home.
There are also book-reading activities in different subjects through which users can interact with book specialists such as reading instructors, librarians and authors.
The subjects of these activities will be continuously expanded and replaced.
There is also the Reading Books for Children category that helps one read books to young children.
For more information about the Gyeonggi book reading portal site, please visit the BookMagic homepage.
 
Article 6. Gyeonggi Province Opens 6th Industry Support Center(0423-3)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government established the 6th Industry Support Centerso as to promote the advancement of the province’sagricultural industry and thus improve its competitiveness. The opening of the center follows the recent Korea-Australia free trade agreementthat was signed on April 8th.
[Report]
1) Agricultural Product Imports Increased Threefold since 2004
Since the signing of the first FTA in 2004, the Korean government has so far removed trade barriers with eleven nations.
During this ten-year period, annual agricultural imports have increased threefold to USD 30 billion.
Unlike other industries, the agricultural industry in Korea has made little competitive progress and has suffered dearly from the opening of markets with foreign countries.
2) GARES Values Public Benefit from Korean Agriculture at KRW 7.5 Trillion
The Gyeonggi Agricultural Research and Extension Services estimates the value of public benefit from the province’s agricultural industry at KRW 7.5 trillion, indicating that agriculture is still a major industry in the province.
3) 6th Industry Support Center
The objective of the 6th Industry Support Center is to promote the transformation of the province’s agricultural industry into an industry of high added values through intensive regional support.
The term 6th – or Senary– was derived from the mathematical concept of merging the agricultural industry –a primary industry – with secondary and tertiary industriesto create asenaryindustry of higher added values.
4) On-Site Support Programs Supervised by Gyeonggi Green and Agriculture Foundation
The Gyeonggi Green and Agriculture Foundation oversees support programs that are centered around on-site support ranging from technical and research supervision to overseas marketing.
5) Kim Gi-jong / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Rural Tourism Team
“Farming villages that can be transformed into the 6th industry will be identified and supported through various activities that can result in the increase of their income…”
6) 3 Farming Villages Selected for Trial 6th Industry Support
The foundation will select three farming villages in the province for trial operation of the 6th industry support program this year, and will develop temized programs based on the results.
 
Article 7. Gyeonggi Province Population to Peak in 2020(140424-3)
[Anchor’s Headline]
According to a recent forecast by the Gyeonggi Research Institute, and contrary to previous forecasts, the population of Gyeonggi Province will begin to decrease after hitting a peak in 2020.
[Report]
As of the end of March, the population of Gyeonggi Province was 12.27 million, the largest among all autonomous bodies in Korea.
1) Gyeonggi Population to Hit Peak of 12.43 Million in 2020
The institute expects that the provincial population will continue to increase over the next six years before shifting to a declining curve.
[CG]
This is quite different from a previous forecast made by Statistics Korea, which projects the Gyeonggi population to peak in 2033.
The institute explains that the difference from the previous forecast stems from the consideration of more diverse factors.
2) Seoul Population Began Declining from 1990 While Gyeonggi Population Continued to Rise
The population of Seoul began to decline from 1990 after reaching 10 million. However, the population of Gyeonggi Province continued to increase and surpassed that of Seoul in 2003.
3) Natural Increase Plus Population Influx
Such an increase is largely attributed to the relocation of residents attracted by lower lease deposit rates and higher employment rates compared to those of Seoul.
However, the institute projects that the trend will reverse after reaching a peak in the year 2020.
4) Population Policies to Focus on Individuals in Their 20s and 30s
The institute recommends that population policies focus on improving housing, employment and education conditions for individuals in their twenties and thirties since these age groups are the key to population growth.