1. [The Three No’s]

Gyeonggi province announced it will hold the \’three no’s campaign\’ to renew the organization and prevent recent incidents from happening again.

The Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters announced it would execute the \’three no’s campaign\’ to prevent large accidents and safety problems regarding fire fighters. Moreover, it would create a more ethical system.

While three fire fighters died in a harness last year and 40 people died during a fire in a cold storage facility, Gyeonggi province received the lowest grade for integrity of public facilities which evoked the campaign.

The province will first strengthen inspections on stores that accommodate many people and then place fire safety instruction images in various facilities such as schools and factories.

Additionally, in order to minimize accidents while extinguishing, fire fighters will be instructed to regard safety guidelines from a safety control specialist at each station according to demand.

Furthermore, fire fighters who elicited much public criticism for receiving bribes will be strictly punished. From now on, a mobile bribery prevention team will be on patrol all year round.

2. [Countermeasures for a low birth rates and an aging society]

Under dire circumstances, Gyeonggi province announced a way to deal with low birth rates and an aging population.

On January 28th, Gyeonggi province presented countermeasures for the low birth rate and aging population while specialists from various fields attended.

The province announced that $1.6 billion, 27.7% more of the government budget than last year, will be invested to counteract low birth rates and deal with an aging population.

Looking through each project, new projects such as a child care system for low income families, the expansion of a child health examination system, and health improving projects for women of child-bearing age are included in the category of low birth rate measures and care.

In the aging population measures category, 58% of the budget would be allotted to a basic old-age pension system. In addition, dementia prevention care and dementia health programs will also be financed in this category.

In the low birth rate aging population society growth impulse category, the Gyeonggi Employment Information Center and aggregate experience centers building projects for the elderly will additionally be progressing.
Currently, Gyeonggi province\’s total birth rate is declining by 7.84% annually. In order to improve the quality of life for the elderly, constant measures are necessary.

3. [Reconsidering Namhan mountain fortress wall]

A seminar was held which reconsidered the historical and cultural values of the Namhan mountain fortress.

Historically, the Namhan mountain fortresses, along with the Han River, were key landmarks that decided the hegemony of a dynasty. During the Joseon Dynasty they were tantamount to national security.

Currently, it is celebrated as a tourist attraction that includes 12 distinctive cultural assets and a mountain path along the wall.

An open seminar was held to reconsider its historical value in modern society. Gyeonggi province will include various opinions from this seminar in the fortress\’s policy. While fortress restoration was an ongoing processing since 2000 and is planned to be finished by the end of next year, the wall and temporary palace repairs are a work in progress.

4. [New Town Vision Announcement]

The New town project, which restore old living environments in Gyeonggi province, celebrated its first birthday. Today, Gyeonggi province had a meeting to present future images of the project.

This announcement will give a composite vision of Gyeonggi province and provide an image that shows a compulsive side of the province.

This project was established to improve the living environment of all residents in Gyeonggi province. Also, it was to heighten the value of the province through a quicker promotion of projects to let residents understand more about what the province is doing.

Right now of the 21 zones in 12 cities, 10 zones have been chosen as new town designated zones, but there are 11 more zones left to be selected.

5. [Goyang Chinatown Underway]

The Largest Chinese culture town in Korea will be constructed at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) support facility plot in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

Goyang Chinatown\’s first stage project construction commencement ceremony held on January 28 at the plot of the KINTEX support facility.

Goyang Chinatown will be three times as large as Incheon’s China town. It will be about 69,000 square meters big and will include commercial, business, and lodging facilities.

The first stage of the project, \’Dragon plaza,\’ an 8 floor mall, will be finished by the end of next year
\’Dragon Plaza\’ will be filled with famous restaurants from Beijing and Shanghai, Chinese artwork shops, and a Beijing opera restaurant.

In the meantime, the second stage of the Chinatown project, which will have China-related education and culture centers, will be finished by 2012.

6. [More crime prevention CCTVs]

While CCTV plays a vital role to help find clues and evidence of crimes, CCTVs for crime prevention will considerably increase in number.

This is one cross road in down town Hwaseong. There is a CCTV that is in operation 24 hours to prevent crimes.
700 CCTVs are operating at cites such as cross roads and bus stops that are likely crime scenes.

Images recorded on CCTV are being monitored 24 hours a day and if something happens police nearby are dispatched right away.

< interview - Wonju Jeon, Chief of CCTV monitor center at Hwaseong Police Station>
CCTV exerts great effect on crime prevention and arrests; if residents press the emergency button, police will be there right away and it will be very effective in capturing criminals.

Since CCTV showed to be effective for crime prevention, the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency decided to install 1,000 more CCTVs.

400 will be placed in Hwaseong city, 120 in Gunpo, and 40 in Yongin.

Additionally, Paju, Yeoju, and Gwangju, which did not have a CCTV for crime prevention formerly, will have it installed.

7. [Odor reduction results, good!]

An odor removing project at the Banwol and Sihwa industrial complexes is seeing results.The offensive odors at industrial complexes were a chronic appeal residents pointed out along with air pollution.

Therefore Gyeonggi province has been executing projects to alleviate the foul odors by providing support to odor causing companies financially.

Although only a year passed since the project began, odor pollution rates, ammonia density, and public appeals have been reduced drastically.

The composite odor pollution rate especially, was reduced by 85% from 874, in 2006, before the project, to 129 this year.

The ammonia produced during the producing stages was reduced by 50%, and public appeals decreased in number from 670 in 2006 to 350 this year.

Likewise, Gyeonggi province will spend about three million dollars on 40 companies to install odor prevention facilities.

From next year, the policy will be adjusted so that air and water polluting industries would also receive support from the province.