More than 20 members of the 22nd National Assembly are expected to take part in the event, which is being held in cooperation with the Climate Change Decarbonization Economy Forum (a National Assembly research body), providing an opportunity to build public interest and consensus at the national level.

This meeting has been organized to discuss Korea’s response to changes in the global trade environment, such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the US’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The first part of the meeting session will feature presentations and discussions on domestic and international renewable energy policy trends and government policy directions (Prof. Seung Wan Kim, Department of Electrical Engineering, Chungnam National University) and Gyeonggi RE100 achievements and challenges (Cha Sung-soo, Director General for Climate, Environment and Energy, Gyeonggi Provincial Government).

The second part of the session will be moderated by Gyeonggi Climate Ambassador Kang Geum-sil, followed by a discussion led by experts such as Min Hyun-ki, Head of LS Electric Power Grid Sales Team, Cho Hyun-jin, an official of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Renewable Energy Policy Division, Kim Young-joon, Paju City Deputy Mayor for Finance and Economy, Lee Yoo-jin, Director of the Green Transition Institute, and Lim Jae-min, Secretary General of the Energy Transition Forum, on policy proposals for zero-carbon industries and renewable energy expansion, the importance of RE100 legislation, a plan to help small and medium-sized enterprises achieve zero-carbon goals, the importance of renewable energy and its expansion, and proposals for revitalizing industrial parks and solar farms.

This meeting will be streamed live online via Gyeonggi Province’s official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@ggholics). Gyeonggi Province plans to work with the National Assembly and the central government to enact and revise the “RE100 3 Act” and expand the use of renewable energy based on this parliamentary debate.

Karnataka State, India’s southern economic hub, is at the center of India’s innovation ecosystem with a large IT cluster and advanced electronics and aerospace industries. Its capital, Bengaluru, has been ranked as the most livable city in India, and Korean companies are active in the state.

Calling Karnataka the “Silicon Valley of India,” Vice Governor Kim drew parallels between the state and Gyeonggi Province, South Korea’s innovation hub, which is the center of the semiconductor industry and home to one-third of the country’s startups. “By combining the strengths of both regions, we can create new opportunities for innovation and economic growth,” Vice Governor Kim said. “We look forward to mutual development through continued cooperation.”

“Karnataka is a very fast growing region in a fast growing India,” said Minister Patil. “There are many opportunities for cooperation between the excellent clusters in Gyeonggi Province and the knowledge, bio and semiconductor clusters in Karnataka. I look forward to learning more about Gyeonggi Province’s semiconductor industry.”

Minister Patil, who was visiting to encourage Korean companies to invest in Karnataka and strengthen economic cooperation, is also working with SMEs in Gyeonggi Province; this includes the signing a business agreement with EM&I, based in Gyeonggi’s Ansan City, on entry into the Indian battery market.

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province opened the 20th office of its global Gyeonggi Business Center (GBC) network in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, last December to help the province’s SMEs enter the southern Indian market.

Gyeonggi Province expects the meeting to be a step forward in economic cooperation between the two regions.

Emergency living subsidy
Most of the victims were dayworkers and immigrant laborers.
Their livelihoods must have been immediately affected.

To help the victims whose livelihoods have been immediately threatened by this unexpected accident, the province is offering KRW 5.5 million (equivalent to 3 months of emergency living expenses) to the families of the 23 killed, KRW 3.67 million (2 months) to the two severely injured, and KRW 1.83 million (1 month) to the six non-severely injured.
* This offer by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government marks the first case of an emergency living subsidy for victims and bereaved families of a social disaster.

Fact-finding and prevention of recurrence
On the day of the incident, the family of one of the victims did not learn about the fire until after 9 p.m. when one of the victim’s co-workers informed them. In terms of cause, initial response, action guidelines, post-accident measures and victim identification, this incident reveals significant room for improvement.

Gyeonggi Province will publish a white paper that clarifies and records the entire timeline of the incident as well as the shortcomings. This white paper will serve as a new standard for workplace safety and immigrant laborer management, as well as a comprehensive report on disaster prevention and response.

From accident prevention and immediate response to support for victims and families, every aspect of the incident will be meticulously considered and written from the perspective of the victims to ensure that this white paper will be a useful record for other cities and provinces as well as the entire nation.

Results of special joint lithium inspections and water & air pollution monitoring
As a result of special joint inspections of 48 sites handling lithium, 5 cases of hazardous material handling regulation violations, 4 cases of toxic chemical regulation violations, and 12 cases of fire and hazardous material control violations were found.

Six of the cases will be prosecuted and 3 cases will be subject to fines, while corrective orders will be issued for 12 cases of fire and hazardous material control violations.

The monitoring of polluted water leakage and air pollution that may directly impact public safety found no breach of water pollutant release standards or human health protection standards. The monitoring will continue until local residents feel safe.

Post-traumatic psychotherapy for victims, bereaved families and those involved
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Hwaseong City established a comprehensive victim support center immediately after the accident and have assigned support staff to each bereaved family.

Through this framework, we have provided 227 rooms to accommodate 437 bereaved family members, and handled 120 requests including 6 occupational health insurance claims and 21 legal consultations.

We also offer psychotherapy to alleviate post-traumatic stress among those injured, bereaved families, and firefighters as well as factory employees and their families.

96 counseling sessions (55 for the injured, 38 for bereaved families, and 2 for local residents) have been provided, and further treatment will follow.

Gyeonggi Province will focus on two things
This accident was something that should never have happened.

Gyeonggi Province will focus on two things:

First, we will do our utmost to ensure proper closure of this accident.
We will review and identify every shortcoming and opportunity for improvement throughout the entire timeline for inclusion in the white paper. Then we will use this white paper as a field manual for future disaster prevention and response.

Second, we will identify and address institutional gaps and operational shortcomings revealed by this case. Many shortcomings in laws and regulations have been exposed due to this accident. We will meticulously review these issues and request that the national government update related systems and the National Assembly enact the necessary legislation.

Gyeonggi Province will take the lead.

Gyeonggi Province will ensure that no such tragedy ever happens again
It will ensure that every resident feels safe living here.

ການ​ປະ​ຕິ​ບັດ​ຫຼັງ​ຈາກ​ໄຟ​ໄຫມ້​ໂຮງ​ງານຮວາຊອງ
ແຂວງຄຍອງກີ ຈະ​ຮັບ​ຜິດ​ຊອບ​ຢ່າງ​ເຕັມ​ທີ່

ພວກ​ເຮົາ​ຈະ​ດຳ​ເນີນ​ວຽກ​ງານ​ກູ້​ໄພ ແລະ ສ້າງ​ແຜນການ​ຮັບມື ແລະ ການ​ປະຕິບັດ​ງານ ​ຫຼັງ​ເຫດການ ​ເພື່ອ​ປ້ອງ​ກັນ​ບໍ່​ໃຫ້​ເຫດການ​ແບບນີ້​ເກີດ​ຂຶ້ນ​ອີກໃນອະນາຄົດ.

<ການສະໜັບສະໜຸນການດຳລົງຊີບແບບສຸກເສີນ>
ຜູ້​ຖືກເຄາະ​ຮ້າຍ​ໃນ​ເຫດການ​ຄັ້ງ​ນີ້​ສ່ວນ​ໃຫຍ່ແມ່ນ​ແຮງງານ​ລາຍວັນ ແລະ ແຮງງານອົບພະຍົກ ​ເຊິ່ງຈະ​ກະທົບກັບ​ບັນຫາ​ການ​ດຳລົງ​ຊີວິດ​ໃນ​ທັນທີ.

ສຳລັບຄອບຄົວ​ຂອງ​ຜູ້​ທີ່ເສຍຊີວິດຈຳນວນ23 ຄົນນັ້ນແມ່ນຈະ​ໄດ້​ຮັບ​ເງິນຈຳນວນ 5.500.000 ວອນ ​ໃນ​ການ​ຊ່ວຍ​ເຫຼືອຄອບຄົວຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວ​ແບບສຸກ​ເສີນ​ເປັນ​ເວລາ 3 ​ເດືອນ.
ສຳລັບຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບບາດເຈັບສາຫັດຈຳນວນ2 ຄົນນັ້ນ ຈະໄດ້ຮັບເງິນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອປິ່ນປົວແບບສຸກເສີນເປັນເວລາ 2 ເດືອນ ດ້ວຍຈຳນວນເງິນ 3.670.000 ວອນ.
ສຳລັບຜູ້ທີ່ບາດເຈັບເລັກນ້ອຍຈຳນວນ 6 ຄົນນັ້ນ ຈະໄດ້ຮັບການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອປິ່ນປົວແບບສຸກເສີນເປັນເວລາ 1 ເດືອນ ດ້ວຍຈຳນວນເງິນ 1,830,000 ວອນ.
*ການ​ຊ່ວຍ​ເຫຼືອ​ແບບສຸກ​ເສີນ​ໃຫ້​ແກ່​ຜູ້​ປະສົບ​ເຄາະ​ຮ້າຍ​ຈາກ​ເຫດການ​ຮ້າຍແຮງແບບນີ້ແມ່ນ​ຄັ້ງ​ທຳ​ອິດ​ເຊິ່ງແມ່ນຖືກຢູ່​ແຂວງຄຍອງກີ

<ການ​ສືບ​ສວນ​ສອບ​ສວນ​ຂໍ້​ເທັດ​ຈິງ​ແລະ​ການ​ກະ​ກຽມ​ແຜນ​ການ​ເພື່ອ​ປ້ອງ​ກັນ​ບໍ່​ໃຫ້​ເກີດ​ເຫດ​ການໃນລັກສະນະດັ່ງກ່າວນີ້ຊໍ້າອີກ>
ໃນມື້ທີ່ເກີດເຫດ ມີຄອບຄົວ​ຜູ້​ເສຍຊີວິດ​ລາຍໜຶ່ງ​ບໍ່​ໄດ້​ຮັບ​ການ​ຕິດ​ຕໍ່ ໃດໆ ຈຶ່ງໄດ້​ຮັບ​ຮູ້​ເຫດການ​ຈາກ​ເພື່ອນຮ່ວມ​ງານ​ໃນ​ເວລາ 21:00 ​ໂມງ. ເຫດການນີ້ໄດ້​ມີ​ຄວາມ​ບົກ​ຜ່ອງ​ຫຼາຍ​ປະການໃນ​ຂະ​ບວນການ​ຕ່າງໆ ເຊັ່ນ ສາເຫດຂອງອຸປະຕິເຫດ, ການຕອບສະໜອງເບື້ອງຕົ້ນ, ຄຳແນະນຳໃນການດຳເນີນການ, ການຕອບສະໜອງຫຼັງຈາກເກີດອຸປະຕິເຫດ ແລະ ການຢືນຢັນຕົວຕົນ ແລະອື່ນໆ.

ດ້ວຍເຫດນີ້ ພວກ​ເຮົາ​ຈະ​ໄດ້ເຮັດເອກະສານບັນ​ທຶກ​ທີ່ເປີດເຜີຍ ແລະ ບັນທຶກບັນຫາຕ່າງໆ ແລະ ຂະບວນການເກີດອຸປະຕິເຫດທັງໝົດຢ່າງໂປ່ງໃສ. ເອກະສານບັນທຶກນີ້ຈະນຳເອົາມາເປັນມາດຕະຖານໃໝ່ ກ່ຽວ​ກັບ​ຄວາມ​ປອດ​ໄພ​ດ້ານ​ອາຊີບ ​ແລະ ບັນຫາ​ແຮງ​ງານ​ອົບ​ພະຍົກ ແລະ ເປັນບົດລາຍງານລວມທີ່ຄອບຄຸມກ່ຽວກັບການ​ປ້ອງ​ກັນ​ ແລະ ຕອບສະໜອງຕໍ່ໄພພິບັດຕ່າງໆທີ່ຈະເກີດຂຶ້ນໃນອະນາຄົດ.

ຈາກທັດສະນະຂອງຄອບຄົວຜູ້ເສຍຊີວິດ ລວມທັງການປ້ອງກັນໄພພິບັດ, ການຄຸ້ມຄອງອຸປະຕິເຫດ, ແລະມາດຕະການຄອບຄົວຜູ້ເສຍຊີວິດ
ພວກເຮົາຈະສະທ້ອນເຫດການແລະບັນທຶກໄວ້. ດ້ວຍເຫດ​ນັ້ນ, ເອກະສານບັນທຶກສະບັບ​ນີ້​ຈະສາມາດ​ນຳ​ໃຊ້​ໃນລະດັບ ​ແຂວງ ​ແລະ ​ໃນ​ລະດັບ​ຊາດ.
ພວກເຮົາຈະສ້າງເອກະສານບັນທຶກນີ້ດ້ວຍຄວາມຖືກຕ້ອງແນ່ນອນ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ນຳມາໃຊ້ເປັນເອກະສານທີ່ສົມບູນແບບໄດ້.

<ການ​ກວດ​ກາ​ຮ່ວມ​ພິ​ເສດ​ຂອງແຮ່ທາດlithium ແລະ​ລາຍ​ງານ​ຜົນ​ການ​ກວດ​ສອບ​ການ​ປົນ​ເປື້ອນ​ແລະ​ມົນ​ລະ​ພິດ​ໃນອາ​ກາດ>
ຜົນຂອງການກວດກາ ສະເພາະກິດ 48ຈຸດ ທີ່ນຳໃຊ້ແຮ່ທາດ lithium ພົບເຫັນ 5 ກໍລະນີ,
ລະເມີດການຄຸ້ມຄອງວັດຖຸອັນຕະລາຍ 4 ກໍລະນີ,
ແລະ ລະເມີດການຄຸ້ມຄອງວັດຖຸອັນຕະລາຍ 12 ກໍລະນີ.
ໃນນີ້ມີ 6 ກໍລະນີຈະຖືກດໍາເນີນຄະດີ ແລະ ໃນ 3 ກໍລະນີຈະຖືກປັບໃໝ
ສ່ວນ​ການ​ລະ​ເມີດ​ການ​ຄຸ້ມ​ຄອງ​ໄຟ​ໄໝ້​ແລະ​ສິ່ງ​ເສບ​ຕິດ​ອັນ​ຕະ​ລາຍ​ໄດ້​ສັ່ງ​ໃຫ້​ແກ້​ໄຂ 12 ກໍລະນີ.

ຜົນ​ການ​ກວດກາ​ການ​ປົນ​ເປື້ອນ​ທາງ​ນ້ຳ​ແລະ​ມົນ​ລະ​ພິດ​ທາງ​ອາກາດ​ທີ່​ອາດ​ເປັນ​ອັນຕະລາຍ​ຕໍ່​ຄວາມ​ປອດ​ໄພ​ຂອງ​ປະຊາຊົນ. ເຫັນວ່າຍັງບໍ່ມີມາດຕະຖານອັນໃດທີ່ກຳນົດໄວ້ສຳລັບຄຸນນະພາບນ້ຳ ແລະ ການປົກປ້ອງສຸຂະພາບຂອງປະຊາຊົນ. ພວກເຮົາຈະສືບຕໍ່ສືບສວນຈົນກ່ວາປະຊາຊົນມີຄວາມຫມັ້ນໃຈ.

<ການ​ຊ່ວຍ​ເຫຼືອ​ສໍາ​ລັບ​ການ​ປິ່ນ​ປົວ​ທາງ​ຈິດ​ໃຈ​ສໍາ​ລັບ​ຜູ້​ເຄາະ​ຮ້າຍ​ແລະ​ຄອບ​ຄົວ​ຂອງ​ເຂົາ​>
ແຂວງຄຍອງກີແລະ​ເມືອງຮວາຊອງ ​ໄດ້​ຕັ້ງ​ສູນ​ຊ່ວຍ​ເຫຼືອ​ສູນ​ກາງ​ໃຫ້​ແກ່​ຜູ້​ປະສົບ​ເຄາະ​ຮ້າຍ​ໃນ​ທັນທີ​ຫຼັງ​ຈາກ​ເຫດການ​ດັ່ງກ່າວໄດ້ເກີດຂຶ້ນ ແລະໃຫ້ການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອແບບຫນຶ່ງຕໍ່ຫນຶ່ງສໍາລັບຄອບຄົວແລະພະນັກງານທີ່ເສຍຊີວິດ.

ພວກເຮົາໄດ້ມອບຫ້ອງພັກໃຫ້ຄອບຄົວຜູ້ປະສົບເຄາະຮ້າຍທັງໝົດ 227 ຫ້ອງ, ໄດ້ເຮັດໃບສະໝັກປະກັນອຸບັດຕິເຫດດ້ານອາຊີບ 6 ກໍລະນີ, ສະເໜີໃຫ້ຄຳແນະນຳດ້ານກົດໝາຍໃນ 21 ກໍລະນີ ແລະ ໄດ້ຮັບການສະໜັບສະໜູນຈາກຜູ້ຖືກເຄາະຮ້າຍຈາກອຸບັດຕິເຫດ ແລະ ຄອບຄົວ 120 ກໍລະນີ.

ນອກຈາກນີ້, ພວກເຮົາຍັງໄດ້ຊ່ວຍການປິ່ນປົວທາງດ້ານຈິດໃຈສໍາລັບຜູ້ຖືກເຄາະຮ້າຍ ແລະ ຄອບຄົວຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວ, ຄອບຄົວຂອງນັກດັບເພີງທີ່ເສຍຊີວິດ, ພະນັກງານຂອງບໍລິສັດ ​ແລະ​ຄອບຄົວ​ຂອງ​ພວກເຂົາ​ໄດ້​ຮັບ​ຜົນ​ກະທົບ​ຈາກ​ເຫດການ​ຄັ້ງນີ້.

ໄດ້ມີການໃຫ້ຄໍາປຶກສາທັງໝົດ 96 ກໍລະນີ, ໃນນັ້ນ ມີຜູ້ບາດເຈັບ ແລະ ພະນັກງານບໍລິສັດ 55 ກໍລະນີ, ຄອບຄົວຜູ້ເສຍຊີວິດ 38 ກໍລະນີ ແລະ ປະຊາຊົນທ້ອງຖິ່ນ 2 ກໍລະນີ ເຊິ່ງພວກເຮົາຈະສືບຕໍ່ຕິດຕາມອີກຕໍ່ໄປ.

<ແຂວງຄຍອງກີຈະ​ເນັ້ນໜັກເອົາໃຈໃສ່​ສອງ​ດ້ານ>​
ເຫດການນີ້ບໍ່ຄວນເກີດຂຶ້ນ.
ພວກເຮົາຈະສຸມໃສ່ສອງດ້ານຕໍ່ໄປນີ້:

ດ້ານທີໜຶ່ງ, ພວກ​ເຮົາ​ຈະ​ເຮັດ​ສຸດ​ຄວາມ​ສາມາດ​ເພື່ອ​ຊ່ວຍ​ເຫຼືອ​ເຫດການ​ດັ່ງກ່າວທີ່ໄດ້ເກີດຂຶ້ນໄປແລ້ວ. ກະກຽມເອກະສານບັນທຶກຂອງຂໍ້ເທັດຈິງທີ່ພົບເຫັນທັງຫມົດ ແລະ ນຳໃຊ້ເປັນມາດຕະຖານໃນການປ້ອງກັນ ແລະ ຮັບມືກັບໄພພິບັດທີ່ອາດຈະເກີດຂຶ້ນໃນອະນາຄົດ.

ດ້ານທີສອງ, ພວກເຮົາຈະກໍານົດຂໍ້ບົກພ່ອງໃນລະບົບແລະການດໍາເນີນງານທີ່ໄດ້ຄົ້ນພົບເຫັນຜົນບົກຜ່ອງຈາກເຫດການນີ້. ແລະຈະນຳມາປັບປຸງເປັນລະບຽບກົດໝາຍຂອງການເຮັດວຽກສະເໜີຂຶ້ນຫາລັກຖະບານໃນຂັ້ນຕໍ່ໄປ.

ພວກ​ເຮົາ​ຈະ​ສ້າງ​ແຂວງຄຍອງກີ ໃຫ້ເປັນແຂວງທີ່ບໍ່ມີເຫດການແບບດັ່ງກ່າວນີ້ເກີດຂຶ້ນອີກໃນອະນາຄົດ.
ພວກເຮົາຈະສ້າງຄວາມໝັ້ນໃຈໃຫ້ປະຊາຊົນໃນແຂວງມີຄວາມຮູ້ສຶກວ່າສາມາດດຳລົງຊີວິດໄດ້ຢ່າງປອດໄພ.

On June 28, Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim signed a collaboration agreement with World Economic Forum Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab at Dodamso (the former gubernatorial residence) to establish the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Governor Kim compared global competition to a short-track race, saying, “The corners of a short-track speed skating course are difficult for everyone, but they’re also an opportunity to gain the lead… At the Davos Forum in January, I was impressed to hear that Korea is at another corner on the short track, but if we stumble in this corner, we will be left behind. I believe we will be able to lead the way through the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution that we will create together.

He added, “Unlike other Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Gyeonggi Center will not only focus on supporting AI-based startups, but will also take the lead in climate action.”

“The transition from an industrial society to a knowledge society is bringing about major changes in the way companies do business and the way citizens live,” said Executive Chairman Schwab, explaining the need for the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “We need new types of platforms to respond to these changes, and we need to support small companies in their creative activities.”

He continued, “Gyeonggi Province’s Centre for the 4th Industrial Revolution is special because it will be the first center to focus on startups. It will serve as a pioneer for other centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and play a role in creating a new startup ecosystem.”

“I look forward to returning to Gyeonggi Province to celebrate the success of the Gyeonggi Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and I look forward to meeting the Governor in Davos early next year,” said Executive Chairman Schwab, inviting Governor Kim to the 2025 Davos Forum.

With the signing of the agreement, Gyeonggi Province will begin official preparations for the opening of the Gyeonggi Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in October.

The Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution are regional collaboration platforms established by the World Economic Forum, in consultation with countries and regions, to address the Fourth Industrial Revolution. First opened in San Francisco in 2017, there are now 18 such centers around the world, including in the United States (Michigan and Texas), Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and India.

Gyeonggi Province has set AI-based “startup promotion,” “smart manufacturing,” and “climate change response” as the key tasks of the Gyeonggi Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which Governor Kim explained was the result of a long period of reflection while interacting with key figures around the world.

Governor Kim signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution at the World Economic Forum (Davos Forum) in January. During the forum, he interacted with many global CEOs, startups and opinion leaders, including World Economic Forum President Borge Brende, and gathered advice and opinions for the operation of the center. In May, he visited the San Francisco Center, the world’s first Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and discussed the role and operation of the Gyeonggi Center with Sebastian Buckup, Executive Director of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of the World Economic Forum, and various stakeholders.

Gyeonggi Province believes that the opening of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will play a role in developing startups in Gyeonggi Province into unicorn companies (companies with an enterprise value of more than USD 1 billion [KRW 1 trillion]). To this end, Gyeonggi Province plans to actively utilize diverse information on trends, high-tech and industry analysis reports, technological know-how, and global exchange networks accrued by the World Economic Forum to focus on supporting startups and small and medium-sized enterprises in Gyeonggi Province that lack advanced information and global capabilities.

In addition, Gyeonggi Province is considering hiring an outside expert to serve as the director of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to make the most of the autonomy and expertise of the private sector. In particular, it plans to gradually increase the proportion of private funding for the center’s operations through corporate memberships.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly also played an important role in the signing of the collaboration agreement. On June 17, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly passed a motion to sign a cooperation agreement between Gyeonggi Province and the World Economic Forum (Davos Forum) prior to the signing of the collaboration agreement. Initially, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly did not agree with the establishment of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution due to a lack of proven effectiveness, but it agreed with the administration’s explanation that it was necessary to ensure the international competitiveness of Gyeonggi companies and promised comprehensive support.

Founded in 1971, the World Economic Forum is a non-profit, public-private partnership international organization. It is the world’s largest think tank and premier networking organization on global business and industry, and hosts the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, each January.

Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab founded the World Economic Forum in 1971 and has led the organization ever since. Governor Kim met with Executive Chairman Schwab in 2018 when serving as deputy prime minister of Korea to discuss the establishment of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Korea and the participation of Korean youth in the World Economic Forum.

On June 19, Governor Kim met with Jiangsu Provincial Party Secretary Xin Changxing at Dodamso (gubernatorial residence) and said, “I am very pleased to upgrade the friendly relations between Jiangsu Province and Gyeonggi Province to sisterhood.” He continued, “I hope that your visit will serve as an opportunity to further promote cooperation in all fields of economy, industry, investment, people-to-people exchanges, culture and sports between the two provinces.”

“Jiangsu Province and our country have a deep historical relationship dating back to the Silla Dynasty, and President Xi Jinping has mentioned Dr. Choi Chi-won’s relationship with Jiangsu on many occasions,” Governor Kim added. “I hope that beyond Jiangsu and Gyeonggi Province, Korea and China will have an even closer and stronger partnership.”

“Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jiangsu and Qingdao have continued to promote enterprise investment, exchanges of students and government officials, and so on,” responded Party Secretary Xin. “We have a good foundation for exchanges and cooperation between the two provinces, and there is great potential for friendship in the future.”

He then made three suggestions: deepening offline exchange cooperation between Gyeonggi and Jiangsu and between municipalities; strengthening cooperation in industries such as semiconductors, new energy, and auto parts to realize mutual benefits; and actively promoting friendly exchanges in tourism, culture, education, and especially youth.

Of particular note, the two exchanged poems, proverbs and other quotations throughout the day, showing their interest in and respect for the history and culture of both countries.

Party Secretary Xin quoted the poem “通州從此屬吾鄉，可似崧陽似漢陽” (Tongju, Jiangsu Province, is now my hometown) by the Korean independence fighter Kim Taek-young of Changgang to express his interest in Gyeonggi Province. Kim Taek-young, a native of Gyeonggi Province, was an Old Korean scholar who defected to China in 1905 and settled in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, where he fought for independence, and a memorial in his honor was opened in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, in 2021.

Governor Kim also responded with a Chinese proverb and a poem by Li Bai. “故人西辭黃鶴樓，煙花三月下揚州” (I bid farewell to my naked ‘Huanghaklu’ and go down to the flowering spring and summer ‘Yangzhou, Jiangsu’), a line from the Tang Dynasty Chinese poet Li Baek’s poem “Sending a Friend to Yangzhou, Jiangsu,” was inscribed on the backdrop for the dinner celebrating the partnership between the two regions. Governor Kim also expressed the beauty of Jiangsu in his speech at the dinner, saying “上有天堂, 下有蘇杭” (If there is a heavenly hall in the sky, there is Suzhou in Jiangsu and Hangzhou in Zhejiang on earth).

On the first day of his visit to Gyeonggi Province at the invitation of Governor Kim, Party Secretary Xin signed an agreement to upgrade the friendship to sisterhood in 2011 and strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

On the same day, Gyeonggi and Jiangsu signed the “Gyeonggi Province-Jiangsu Province Sisterhood Agreement” to promote common development by expanding exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, education, environment, health, agriculture, tourism and humanities. The two provinces also decided to establish a working group to systematically strengthen cooperation.

Gyeonggi Province and Jiangsu Province have been engaged in exchanges and cooperation in various fields, such as sending environmental industry groups from Gyeonggi to Jiangsu, inviting Jiangsu medical personnel to Gyeonggi for training, exchanging agricultural science and technology, and exchanging civil servant training groups. Based on the achievements of cooperation and mutual trust, the two sides agreed to upgrade their friendship to sisterhood and have been preparing to sign the sisterhood agreement since last year.

Jiangsu Province is one of China’s top gross domestic product (GDP) regions, and many Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, LG Electronics, and Hankook Tire, have established a presence in the province. Jiangsu is also a symbolic region for Sino-Korean cooperation. It is the place where Silla scholar Choi Chi Won studied and served in the Tang Dynasty; in 2007, the Chinese government established the Choi Chi Won Memorial Hall, the first memorial hall for foreigners, and the Provisional Government Museum, where members of the Korean Provisional Government, including Mr. Kim Gu, stayed and fought for independence from Japan.

The signing ceremony was attended by Pang Kun, Consul General of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Korea, Park Jung-hee, Member of the National Assembly of the Korea-China Parliamentary Union, Park Seung-hee, President of Corporate Communications of Samsung Electronics, and Lee Soo-il, CEO and Vice Chairman of Hankook Tire & Technology. After signing the sisterhood agreement, the Jiangsu Province Party Secretary, the Jiangsu delegation members, the Consul General of China in Shanghai and members of the political and business communities attended a dinner to strengthen cooperation between Gyeonggi Province and Jiangsu Province.

Starting with his visit to China in November last year, where he met with Chinese State Councilor and Vice Premier for Economic Affairs Hu Jintao, Governor Dong Yeon Kim signed an in-depth cooperation agreement with Liaoning Provincial Party Chief Hao Feng in April, the first visit by a Chinese provincial party chief to Korea since COVID-19, and engaged in “chicken and beer diplomacy,” creating meaningful partnerships with both the central and local governments.

Gyeonggi Province will continue its efforts to develop bilateral relations with China by expanding new exchanges with China’s economic growth centers in the second half of this year.

Through this MOU, the Foundation will develop customized human resources training for overseas employment and various support measures related to new growth industries.

The MOU signing ceremony was attended by Yoon Deok-ryong, CEO of the Gyeonggi Job Foundation, Tran Huy Tuan, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Yen Bai Province (Socialist Republic of Vietnam), and Tran Hai Linh, Chairman of the Vietnam-Korea Business Investment Association.

Prior to signing the MOU, officials from the People’s Committee and VKBIA, including the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Yen Bai Province, toured and benchmarked entrepreneurship support facilities, including the entrepreneurial coworking space “Dreammaru” at the Foundation’s southern business headquarters, and educational facilities, including consulting and training programs.

“The establishment of an organic cross-border cooperation system through this agreement will be a new starting point for overseas employment support projects between Gyeonggi Province and Vietnam,” said Yoon Deok-ryong, CEO of the Gyeonggi Job Foundation.

Vietnam’s Yen Bai Province is rich in rare earth resources used for battery materials and has high expectations for related industries, attracting investment from renowned domestic and foreign companies.

On June 17, Governor Kim met with General LaNeve at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and said, “I believe that U.S. 8th Army soldiers are all Gyeonggi Province residents,” adding, “We will do our best to improve the quality of life for U.S. 8th Army soldiers and fulfill the role that Gyeonggi Province can play in cooperative relations with our residents.”

He continued, “I am concerned about the recent escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and as the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, which borders North Korea, I am taking various measures… The ROK-US alliance is the central axis of the Republic of Korea’s diplomatic strategy. I am deeply grateful for the role of the 8th U.S. Army and ask you to continue to work for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.”

In response, General LaNeve said, “On behalf of the 8th U.S. Army, I would like to thank Gyeonggi Province for its support and warm welcome,” adding, “I feel a part of the community and look forward to our time together in the future.”

Lieutenant General Christopher LaNeve assumed command of the 8th U.S. Army on April 5. Commissioned in 1990 after graduating from Arizona State University, he has served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

Every year, Gyeonggi Province organizes policy discussions to strengthen communication and cooperation with U.S. military officials and to share information. To help U.S. service members and their families integrate into local communities, Gyeonggi Province also promotes various U.S.-Korea exchange and cooperation programs, including Korean language, history and culture education, as well as security and cultural experiences.

In April last year, Governor Kim invited U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg and then U.S. 8th Army Commanding General Willard M. Burleson III to attend the opening game of the Korea Baseball Organization League at KT Wiz Park in Suwon. City. In September, Governor Kim also met with U.S. General Paul LaCamera, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Forces Korea-U.S. Allied Forces Korea and U.N. Forces Korea, and General Burleson at Camp Humphreys to strengthen cooperation between Gyeonggi Province and the U.S. military.

Under the theme “Gyeonggi Province’s Immigrant Society: More Dreams, New Opportunities, and a Brighter Future,” the discussion was organized to envision the future of Gyeonggi Province with young foreigners working in various fields and to explore the way forward.

Breaking away from the traditional presentation-discussion format, this event was held as a free talk symposium between the host and young foreign panelists under the theme “The Immigrant Society Gyeonggi Province.”

The symposium began with an opening address by Oh Kyung-seok, Director of the Gyeonggi Institute of Research and Policy Development for Migrants’ Human Rights, followed by a keynote speech by Steven Hamilton, Chief of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Korea, and a report on the status of foreign resident policy implementation by Kum Chul-wan, Director General of Gyeonggi Province’s Labor Bureau. The first part of the event concluded with the “More Dreams,” “New Opportunities,” “Brighter Future,” and “Gyeonggi Province Immigrant Society” campaigns, which were attended by more than 150 participants.

Jasmine Lee, Chairperson of the Korea Cultural Diversity Organization (and former National Assembly Member), moderated the discussion and suggested the way forward for Korean society, saying that in order to transition to a multicultural society, immigrants must be treated equally, not discriminated against, and live in harmony with Koreans. In addition, six young people with immigrant backgrounds who are demonstrating their abilities and fulfilling their dreams in their respective fields, including TagHive startup representatives, university and graduate school students, CF and fashion models, and workplace managers, participated in the panel discussion and shared their opinions on “Dreams, Opportunities, Challenges, and Future.”

“We will promote various policies to create a livable Gyeonggi Province where everyone can have opportunities and realize their dreams in an environment that promotes respect for each other and does not discriminate,” said Oh Woo-seok, Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province.

“Ensuring that all immigrants, regardless of status, are treated equally with dignity and respect recognizes that immigrants contribute to Korean society as neighbors and family members and that immigrants have the same opportunities to prosper as Koreans… The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading UN agency in the field of migration and stands ready to support migrants and Gyeonggi Province on this journey,” said Steven Hamilton, Chief of IOM Korea .

The policy discussion was attended by representatives of organizations supporting foreigners, including foreigner welfare centers, multicultural family centers, the Global Youth Center, the Council of Foreign Resident Representatives, and the Network of Medical and Social Organizations for Foreigners.

According to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security’s statistics on foreign residents, Gyeonggi Province is home to 33% of the nation’s foreign residents (over 750,000 people), and 5.5% of the total population of Gyeonggi Province is made up of foreign residents.

The Foreign Gyeonggi Tourism Social Network (SNS) Supporters (official name: Oh My Gyeonggi or “O.M.G.”) were selected through an open online recruitment process. They consist of 35 foreigners of various nationalities, including those from Asian countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as from the Americas and Europe.

For approximately six months through to November, the supporters will act as Gyeonggi tourism ambassadors through social networking sites such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, sharing the charms of Gyeonggi Province from a foreigner’s perspective. They will not only visit and experience tourist spots related to Gyeonggi Province’s Korean Wave, nature, gastronomy, history, and festivals, but also provide up-to-date tourism information on items such as transportation, operating hours, and travel costs to help foreign tourists become interested in and conveniently visit Gyeonggi Province.

“Gyeonggi Province is working in various ways to achieve its goal of attracting 4 million international tourists this year,” said Park Yang-deok, Director of the Tourism Industry Division of Gyeonggi Province. “We will actively support the activities of foreign supporters to make Gyeonggi Province a place that foreigners want to visit.

“The connections made between Gyeonggi Province and California, Washington, Arizona and British Columbia through this trip will be the golden goose of Korea’s growth.” (May 18, Governor Dong Yeon Kim’s social media)

Gyeonggi Province’s actions during the first half of the current provincial administration have differed greatly from the those of the past, especially in the area of international exchange and diplomacy. Governor Dong Yeon Kim has met with dignitaries from around the world, touting “innovation alliances” to turn global crises – including high-tech industry, climate and economic crises – into new opportunities. More than just external visits, dignitaries from around the world are also visiting Gyeonggi Province. The list of people Governor Kim has met is diverse; it includes not only major American politicians, but also presidents and prime ministers, as well as ambassadors of key countries stationed in Korea, and global business leaders. In the two years since his election in June 2022, Governor Kim has met with more than 160 dignitaries from 37 countries. The seeds for Korea’s future have been sown in the first half of the current provincial administration, and the international exchange and diplomacy sector can be summarized as follows:

■ Promoted Economic Exchanges and Innovation Alliances with Foreign Leaders, including the Governor of California and Chinese Vice Premier He Yifeng

The United States is the country with which Gyeonggi Province has had the most meetings to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation. Immediately after his inauguration, Governor Kim visited the eastern U.S. to form an innovation alliance on strategic projects such as green mobility and secondary batteries with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and agreed to revitalize interregional relations through a phone call with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.

In the same month after Governor Kim’s return from the eastern U.S., Florida Governor Ron DeSantis led an international trade delegation to Korea and held a trade and investment partnership event to expand inter-regional economic exchanges, and Governor Kim proposed an innovation alliance for strategic industries such as bio and solar power generation. Prior to the Florida governor’s visit, the two regions held a Gyeonggi-Florida webinar on Florida’s business and investment environment.

In January this year, Governor Kim attended the Davos Forum, where he interacted with political and business leaders from around the world including Brian Kemp, Governor of the US state of Georgia. In May, he visited four regions including California, Washington and Arizona in the U.S. and BC in Canada. He met with the leaders of all four regions and established systems for cooperation.

In California, Governor Kim met with Governor Gavin Newsom and agreed to resume friendly cooperation between the two regions for the first time in 12 years, enabling exchanges and cooperation in the fields of climate change responses, high-tech industries, start-ups and people-to-people exchanges. This paved the way for exchanges and cooperation with Washington and Arizona, both of which receiving their first visits by a governor of Gyeonggi Province. In Arizona, Governor Kim met with Governor Katie Hobbs and signed a friendship and cooperation agreement. During his visit to the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC), which has a sister relationship with Gyeonggi Province, Governor Kim received a state-level welcome, further strengthening exchanges and cooperation between the two regions. Of particular note, BC Premier David Eby defied expectations that he would be unable to attend the event due to large-scale forest fires, personally welcoming Governor Kim and demonstrating the strength of Gyeonggi-BC bonds.

The relationship with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria is also significant in that it continues to yield good results. Governor Kim met Mayor Gloria last October when the latter traveled to South Korea with a San Diego business mission. Governor Kim delayed his own overseas departure by a day and went out of his way to host Mayor Gloria and the San Diego delegation on a Sunday (a holiday), impressing Mayor Gloria and the 38 other delegation members. The San Diego Mayor then traveled to Siheung City, Gyeonggi Province, to sign an economic cooperation agreement related to the bio-industry. Representatives of UC San Diego, who were part of the San Diego economic mission, decided to participate in the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program this year. During his visit to North America, Governor Kim proposed cooperation with Biocom CA, the largest biotechnology association in the United States, and Illumina, a leader in genome analysis research, both of which were represented in the San Diego economic mission.

Governor Kim’s exchanges with China have also resulted in notable cooperation. During his visit to China in November last year, Governor Kim met with Liaoning Provincial Party Secretary Hao Feng as well as Chinese Central Politburo member and Vice Premier for Economic Affairs of the State Council Hur Feng to discuss the strengthening of exchanges and cooperation among local governments. As a key figure in charge of China’s economy, Vice Premier Hur was praised for discussing economic issues and strengthening exchanges at a crucial time for China-Korea cooperation. In April, Party Secretary Hao traveled to Gyeonggi Province for a second meeting with Governor Kim, where they signed a detailed agreement to build on the 31 years of achievements between Liaoning Province and Gyeonggi Province and strengthen cooperation in economic, industrial, cultural, sports, education and other fields. Party Secretary Hao, who traveled to South Korea at the invitation of Governor Kim, also met with Prime Minister Han Deok-soo and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol during his visit. This was the first visit by a Chinese provincial Party chief to South Korea since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, and it is significant in that the provincial cooperation between Gyeonggi and Liaoning has helped improve China-South Korea relations.

Governor Kim has also engaged in extensive discussions with foreign ambassadors. After meeting with U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg in November 2022, Governor Kim and Ambassador Goldberg attended the opening game of the Korea Baseball Organization league in Suwon in April 2023 to strengthen cooperation in innovation economy through baseball diplomacy. In September, Governor Kim visited Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek City and met with U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Paul LaCamera, U.S. Eighth Army Commander Willard Burleson and U.S. 7th Air Force Vice Commander Ryan Keeney to discuss ways to enhance communication and cooperation between Gyeonggi Province and the U.S. military. Other diplomats, including British Ambassador Colin Crooks, Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming, and Latvian Ambassador Aris Vigants, have also continued their cooperation with Gyeonggi Province. Governor Kim also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Polish Parliament Speaker Andrzej Jarosz, Catalan Government President Pere Aragonès (Spain), Île-de-France Regional Council President Valerie Pécres (France), and Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to discuss cooperation.

■ Multifaceted Steps to Attract Overseas Investment

Attracting foreign investment has been a top priority for Gyeonggi Province under the current provincial administration. While attending the Davos Forum in January, Governor Kim interacted with people from around the world and encouraged global business leaders to invest in Gyeonggi Province.

Of particular note, a special session entitled “Gyeonggi Province and Innovators” that was moderated by Governor Kim during the Davos Forum was a highlight. “Gyeonggi Province is the center of Korea’s economy and high-tech industry,” said Governor Kim, calling on global startups to invest in the province. He also promoted the Pangyo+20 project, which will create 660,000 square meters of startup space in more than 20 locations centered on Pangyo Techno Valley, Korea’s Silicon Valley. Startup representatives attending the session expressed positive responses, such as “I want to do business with Korea in the advanced mobility industry,” raising the possibility of future investment.

In some cases, these efforts have resulted in actual investment. On a business trip to North America in May of this year, Governor Kim held two videoconferences to encourage investment from Company A, a global semiconductor materials company. Despite the CEO’s absence from the first meeting, Governor Kim was undeterred and requested a second meeting, during which the CEO announced his intention to invest USD 1 billion.

■ Solidarity with Local Governments and International Organizations

To foster joint cooperation in various fields, Gyeonggi Province has reached out to and strengthened solidarity with international organizations and local governments around the world.

In July, Governor Kim met with Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to discuss the revitalization of tourism exchanges, and held the “Gyeonggi 2023 Tourism Fair in Bangkok” to attract overseas tourists to Gyeonggi Province. In October, Governor Kim visited Liaoning Province, Gyeonggi’s first sister province in China, to strengthen exchanges at the local government level, and jointly held the first tourism cooperation exchange meeting to mark the resumption of group tours to China. Twenty days after Governor Kim’s visit to Liaoning, an economic and trade exchange group consisting of 28 companies from Liaoning visited Gyeonggi Province and held the Gyeonggi-Liaoning Economic and Trade Seminar.

Governor Kim has been actively working to respond to the global climate crisis as the “Climate Governor.” During his visit to Thailand in July 2023, he met with UNESCAP Executive Director Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and UNEP Regional Executive Officer for Asia and the Pacific Dechen Tsering to discuss environmental issues, including the role of local governments in responding to climate change. “Contrary to the laggard behavior of the Korean central government, Gyeonggi Province is the most proactive in Korea on climate change. One of my nicknames is ‘Climate Governor,'” he said, reiterating his strong commitment to addressing the climate crisis.

Last month, Governor Kim met with Washington Governor Jay Inslee, known as the Climate Governor of the United States, to recognize their shared commitment to addressing the climate crisis and agreed to form a working council to further strengthen cooperation.