1. Tri-Regional Friendship & Exchange Conference

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The three sister regions of Gyeonggi Province, Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan,Liaoning Province of China held a FriendshipExchange Conference in Suwon (수원) City. This year’s conference was markedthe specification of cooperation plansan agreement on the establishment of a cooperation network among the three local autonomies.

[Report]
Three local governmentsKorea, JapanChina held a meeting to promote friendshipjoint development activities. In his opening speech, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-Soo (김문수) emphasized the importance of the Tri-Regional Friendship & Exchange Conference for Northeast Asian peaceprosperity.

The biennial Tri-Regional Friendship & Exchange Conference among Gyeonggi Province of Korea, Kanagawa Prefecture of JapanLiaoning Province of China has been held for the purpose of establishing a cooperative network for mutual development since 1996.
4. Conclusion of Cooperation Plan
During this year’s meeting, the representatives of the three local governments successfully reached a consensus on a substantive cooperation plan.

Issues specified in the cooperation plan include: active exchange for economic development; communication on economic policiesindustrial information; strengthening of youth exchanges including students; provision of support for exchanges among private institutes to promote private sector cooperation, and; establishmentoperation of an effective network tem among the three regions through the implementation of working-level hotlines for each area of exchange.
Gyeonggi Province established sisterhood relations with Kanagawa Province of Japan in 1990Liaoning Province of China in 1993. The province has since been involved in a variety of exchange activities such as mutual visitsprovincial delegationsofficers, thus playing the role of the nation’s advance base in the pan-Yellow Sea economic region.

2. Commuting between SeoulGyeonggi Province to Become Easier

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Commuting between Gyeonggi ProvinceSeoullong-range buses will become much easieras early as November. Gyeonggi Province added 27 red long-range buses to the SouthNorth Gyeonggi lines that travel as far as downtown Seoul.

[Report]
250,000 residents of Gyeonggi Province travel to Seoul everyday for work.
2. Serious Shortage of Buses
However, the number of buses available for commuting to downtown Seoul falls far short of demandhad been a major problem for daily commuters.

Gyeonggi Province has been continuously negotiating with Seoul to increase the number of buses so as to alleviate the difficulties experiencedcommuters to Seoul. The additional buses were finally made possible through mediationthe Ministry of Land, TransportMaritime Affairs.

A total 27 buses will be added to 15 linesthe citiestherean increasing number of residents commuting daily to Seoul including Suwon (수원), Bucheon (부천)Gwangju (광주).

Gyeonggi Province plans to improve the convenience of transportation tofrom downtown Seoul even furtherintroducing a transfer tem in connection with Subway Line No. 9

3. G-Start Business Project for Successful Launch of Business

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The G-Start Business Project of Gyeonggi Province has firmly established itself as a dependable service for the successful commencement of businesses. There are a number of success stories of companies that were launched with the help of the G-Start Business Project. Let’s take a look at some of these companies.

[Report]
Hysonic Company in Ansan (안산) City of Gyeonggi Province specializes in the development of electronic component tems.

This company successfully developed the world’s first automatic focusing tem for camera phonesis now supplying the automatic focusing components to SamsungLG. This new focusing tem s clearer images, especially when the subjectclose to the camera phone.

Hysonic marked sales of KRW 35.4 billion last yearwas listed on KOSDAQ last February. Ita far crythe company’s initial 2-year participation in the G-Start Business Project2000.

A G-Start Business Project Case Presentation was held with the participation of companies that achieved success with the assistance of the project.

The G-Start Business Project Case Presentationan opportunity for companies which have achieved success with the support of the project to exhibit the creativecutting-edge products they have developed. There are a wide range of exhibitsBluetooth, remote controls,smart controllers with integrated keyboards to a bathtub control tem.

There have been 270 participants in the G-Start Business Project since June of 2009. The outcomes of the project for the past year alone included 153 patent applications, 208 intellectual property right applications120 business registrations. Out of 69 participants who completed the business incubation course, 47 have successfully started businesses4 of them were even listed on KOSDAQ. Gyeonggi Province plans to continue to operate this project, which has become a famous business commencement brand of the province, so as to provide entrepreneurs with confidencesupport for the successful launch of business.

4. Two-Day Youths Camp with Police Academy Students

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Students of the Korea National Police University who are participating as volunteer teachers in the Muhandolbom (무한돌봄) program of Gyeonggi Province, a special welfare program for families in need, joined their young students for an overnight camp.

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Students of the Korea National Police University who are participating in the Muhandolbom (무한돌봄) service programyouths of Gyeonggi Province joined the two-day Togetherness Camp.

A survey was conducted regarding the Muhandolbom (무한돌봄) home-teaching service among the subject youths. The result of the survey revealed that therea prevailing need among the youths for personal relations with the home teachers who have become their mentors.

Students of the Korea National Police Universitytheir young students participated in a variety of activities during the two-day camp including archeryartificial rock climbing.

The camp participants had an opportunity to talk with Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-Soo (김문수)voice their opinions on home teaching.

Students of the Korea National Police University have been participating in the Muhandolbom (무한돌봄) service program as volunteer home teachers since last year after the Muhandolbom (무한돌봄) Agreement between Gyeonggi Provincethe university.
This Togetherness Camp provided the police university studentsyouths of Gyeonggi Province with time together to enjoy a variety of activities outside of home study sessions.

5. Bay Salt of Gyeonggi Province Tops World Renowned Brands

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There will soon be a sharp increase in the demand for salt as the pre-winter kimchi-making season, or Gimjang, nears. There has been an interesting study that revealed that the bay salt of Gyeonggi Provincesuperior to the famous salt brands of the world.

[Report]
A study reported that the bay salt of Gyeonggi Provincesuperior in quality to foreign salt brands. The Gyeonggi Institute of HealthEnvironmental Research analyzed the mineral content of 17 salt productsGyeonggi Provincecompared the results with 15 foreign products.

The Gyeonggi Institute of HealthEnvironmental Research reported that the mineral content of the bay salt produced in Gyeonggi Provincethree times greater than that of Guerande salt of France.

The price of Korean bay saltonly KRW 600 per kg the price for the French Guerande saltas high as KRW 30,000 per kg.

The bay salt of Gyeonggi Provincealso produced using pottery tile basins, which makes it freeendocrine disruptors known as environmental hormones.

Salt farms in Gyeonggi Province, including those on Daebu (대부) Island of Ansan, produce over 6,700 tons of salt annually, accounting for only 1.5% of the total national production.

Salt farmers in Gyeonggi Province have been experiencing difficulties due to recent adverse climatic changes. Multi-faceted, long-term support for facility maintenance, productionpackagingessential for the protection of the salt farms.

6. Traffic No Longer Troubles Cyclists

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Gyeonggi Province agreed to develop bicycle paths within the Banwol (반월) Industrial Complex300 bicycles were donated to the workers in the complex. Also, a 9-day national bicycle tour began as part of a bicycle-usage promotion campaign.

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As a bicycle-usage promotion event for green transportation, the Korea Bicycle Festival was held with 5,000 participants who will cycle across the country.

This event was jointly supportedGyeonggi Province, Ansan (안산) City, the Resident Companies of the Balwol (반월) Industrial Complexthe Samchuly (삼천리) Company for the development of bicycle paths within the Balwol (반월) Industrial Complex.

Following the signing of the MOUthe supporting parties, 300 bicycles were officially donated for usethe workers in the Banwol (반월) complex. A total investment of KRW 10 billion was agreed upon for the developmentmaintenance of bicycle roads within the industrial complex. According to Gyeonggi Province, roads in the Balwol (반월) Industrial Complex are ideal for the development of bicycle paths since they are sparsely traveled throughout the day except for commuting hours.

Under the agreement, Gyeonggi ProvinceAnsan (안산) City will develop bicycle pathsnecessary facilities, the Samchuly (삼천리) Company will supply bicycles at low prices,the companiesworkers in the Banwol (반월) complex will endeavor to a safe bicycle culture.

There are 23.84 kilometers of bicycle paths already in place in the Banwol (반월) Industrial Complex. Gyeonggi Province plans to develop an additional 20 kilometers of bicycle pathssupply 1,000 bicycles at a price of approximately KRW 200,000 implementing further plans to promote bicycle usage expandingAnsan (안산) City.

7. Gwanggyo Techno Valley in Need of Substantial Support

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The Gwanggyo Techno Valleyan innovation cluster into which Gyeonggi Province has been focusing considerable development efforts. A survey has been conducted among resident companies regarding their level of satisfaction with the valley,the results indicate that approximately half of the resident companies are highly satisfied with the infrastructurefacilities of the complex. However, it was also noted that therea need for a range of substantial support.

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There are five research institutes in the Gwanggyo Techno Valley,the total sales of the innovation cluster in the valley amount to more than KRW 2.8 trillion. It might be interesting, then, to determine how satisfied the 198 resident companiestheir 3,864 employees are with the Gwanggyo Techno Valley.

The result of the surveythe Gyeonggi Institute of ScienceTechnology Promotion shows that 51% of the resident companies are satisfied with the conditions of the valley. They indicated especially high degrees of satisfaction with the technology development support conditionsadvanced infrastructure of the complex. On the other hand, therea negative view regarding the lack of communication between resident companies.

The resident companies of the Gwanggyo Techno Valley pointed out that there no public amenities such as banks, hospitals or childcare facilities,there should be more support provided in a number of areas including marketing, technologyfinancing.

The Gyeonggi Institute of ScienceTechnology Promotion, whichresponsible for the management of the valley, also noted that the resident companies are in need of marketing, promotionaltechnical support.

Itapparent that therean urgent need for support tems for the Gwanggyo (광교) Techno Valley to enable it to lead scientific innovation in Korea along with the province’s Pangyo Techno ValleyGyeonggi Technopark.