In a recent lecture, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-Soo highlighted the need to ease regulations and stimulate development in the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

Governor Kim gave a special lecture under the theme of “Gyeonggi Province, the Future of Korea,” which he delivered at the invitation of the Ministry of Government Legislation on July 20, 2009. During the lecture, he remarked, “Dalian of China grants 2.5 million pyeong (8.25 million square meters) of land to attract a single STX plant. The full-fledged support of Dalian also includes long-term, low-interest loans amounting to USD 0.6 billion. We need to learn from this type of assertive approach so that we can stimulate the economy.”

He added, “Yongin and Suwon-Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province are popular tourist destinations, but these areas do not have any decent hotels due to the regulations of the central government. This is not due to the local government, but the local branch of the central government.”

Governor Kim gave special emphasis to the need to revise laws and regulations pertaining to the Seoul Metropolitan Area, such as the Law of Metropolitan Area Planning.

He said, “In order to invigorate the national economy, including the economy in Gyeonggi Province, we need to transfer authority to local governments, and boldly abolish or ease regulations. As can be seen by the cases of Kia Motors and Icheon Hynix Semiconductor, we should ease regulations in local areas while maintaining the green belt in the metropolitan area.”

Minister of Government Legislation Lee Seog-Yeon listened carefully to the special lecture of Governor Kim, and later remarked, “We will more actively participate in the project to revise laws and regulations that inconvenience citizens, and will aim to abolish unreasonable regulations that fail to reflect reality.”