The Gyeonggi Province Semiconductor Industry Specialist Training Project is being promoted by the province in collaboration with the Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology (AICT) to stabilize the supply of semiconductor personnel in the province. The three-year project will cultivate more than 660 technical personnel by December 2025.

Specifically, it aims to establish a cooperative system between universities and companies with semiconductor-related departments in Gyeonggi Province so as to enable the sharing of curricula and practical facilities related to semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment, and to strengthen on-site training by providing internships at participating companies.

This competition targets a university-high school-industrial consortium composed of vocational high schools and companies. Universities and vocational high schools seeking to participate must have a semiconductor-related department and provide practical semiconductor education. The selected universities will receive KRW 1.35 billion in support over a three-year period from 2023.

Song Eun-sil, Director of Gyeonggi Province’s Semiconductor Industry Division, said, “We hope that many excellent universities in Gyeonggi Province will participate in this competition with a focus on fostering semiconductor personnel… Gyeonggi Province will do its utmost to ensure a sustainable supply of exceptional working-level personnel, which are the base of the semiconductor industry.”

Meanwhile, the results of the competition will be announced at the end of March. For more information about the competition, please visit the AICT website.

At 10 a.m. on March 6, the Korea Forest Service raised the national crisis alert for forest fires from “caution” to “warning,” and will operate a special forest fire prevention period until April 30.

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province will organize 11 mobile crackdown teams with 59 personnel from forest-related departments, including the Forestry Landscape Division, and undertake intensive crackdowns until the end of the special forest fire prevention period.

The task force will focus on the burning of rice paddies and fields, the incineration of agricultural and household wastes, and smoking and cooking in forests, with a focus on areas adjacent to forests, agricultural land, parks and hiking trails. Those who engage in illegal incineration will be fined, while those who start forest fires will face judicial action.

If illegal incineration takes place within 100 meters of a forest subject to the crackdown, a fine of KRW 300,000 will be levied. In addition, even in cases where a forest fire was caused by negligence, if it poses a danger to the public, the perpetrators will be imprisoned for up to three years or a fined up to KRW 30 million. Those who intentionally set fires will be imprisoned for up to seven years or more.

Min Soon-ki, Director of Gyeonggi Province’s Forestry Landscape Division, said, “The main cause of forest fires in spring is illegal incineration or the carelessness of people in mountainous areas, so everyone’s awareness is needed to prevent forest fires… We ask the residents of Gyeonggi Province to actively participate in forest fire prevention and monitoring activities.”

The fire safety awareness surveys will be conducted through a questionnaire that consists of 16 questions in three areas: general information (nationality, gender, age, residence period, etc.); knowledge of firefighting (experience in fire safety education, use of fire extinguishers and fire hydrants, etc.); and practice in firefighting (including checking the locations of fire extinguishers and emergency exits in workplaces).

To overcome potential language barriers, the questionnaire was produced in a number of languages including Korean, English, Chinese, and Vietnamese so as to ensure ease of understanding.

Each fire station plans to conduct this survey in collaboration with foreign worker support centers and multicultural family support centers.

The Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters will analyze the results of the fire safety awareness survey for use in tailoring fire safety education for foreigners as well as for promoting fire prevention policies.

Earlier, the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters took the lead in reducing foreign worker casualties by further strengthening fire prevention at dilapidated foreign worker employment sites and dormitories. In January and February, it conducted fire safety consultations for 24,000 foreigners working in Gyeonggi Province, and plans to supply 400 fire extinguishers and 800 residential fire alarms to 200 dormitories at small factories this year.

Cho Sun-ho, Chief Superintendent of the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said “As of September last year, more than one out of every three foreigners in Korea lived in Gyeonggi Province, and as foreign workers steadily flow in, measures to prevent fires among foreigners have become essential… We will undertake fire-fighting policies as well as customized safety education among foreign workers based on fire safety awareness surveys.”

The event was attended by representatives of 5 organizations: Gyeonggi Province, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; the Dairy Farming Promotion Association; the Korea Breeder Improvement Association; and Seoul Milk. Discussions were held on comprehensive promotion and future development plans for the Jersey cattle business, including such issues as improving the individual milk price system and fostering the Jersey brand in Gyeonggi in the future, in order to determine the viability of Jersey cattle industry establishment.

Jersey cows originate from the island of Jersey, United Kingdom. They have lower milk yields than Holsteins, the main cattle breed in Korea, but are suitable for producing high-quality dairy products due to the high protein and fat content of their milk. In addition, since Korea is sensitive to environmental issues and the demand for high-quality dairy products is steadily increasing, this breed is deemed suitable for Korea because it has relatively lower manure emissions including carbon and phosphorus content.

In order to contribute to 2030 national greenhouse gas reduction targets and the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050, Gyeonggi Province asserts that carbon reduction efforts are needed through the reform of the dairy industry.

In line with the establishment of the “Dairy Resources Team,” a dedicated team for the Jersey cattle industry, the Gyeonggi Province Livestock Promotion Center plans to intensively foster the industry this year in four major areas: institutional improvements to create a stable Jersey cattle industry ecosystem through measures such as the reorganization of the bond system; consultative body formation so as to create a future Jersey milk brand in Gyeonggi Province in conjunction with dairy farms, dairy companies, and others; semen and fertilized egg supply from exceptional specimens so as to expand the Jersey cattle industry foundation; and Jersey cattle industry promotion via research in key areas such as policy service consolidation for system development. To this end, the center plans to pursue efforts to ensure the success of the Jersey cattle industry, such as securing a related supplementary budget for 2023.

Moving forward, the production of fertilized Jersey eggs and semen will begin in March this year through the utilization of the facilities of the Dairy Resources Team, and by April this year, farmers will be recruited to launch Jersey brand milk and the project actively promoted.

Relevant organizations such as the Dairy Farming Promotion Association, the Korea Breeding Stock Improvement Association, and Seoul Milk, who participated in the conference, agreed on the need for improvements in the Jersey industry system, and shared the same opinion on the need for collaboration between the private and public sectors to vitalize the domestic Jersey cattle industry.

Misrepresentation of fishery product country of origin and violation of business operator requirements are the main focus of the crackdown. For some imported seafood products, samples will be taken randomly to verify safety, and radioactivity tests will also be performed. In cases where levels exceeding the standard value (100 Bq/kg) are detected, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will be notified of the results and the competent authority will take action to recall the product.

Misrepresenting the country of origin of imported marine products as Korean, for example, may result in imprisonment for up to 7 years or a fine of up to KRW 100 million in accordance with the Act on Labeling of Origin of Agricultural and Marine Products.

Violations exposed through this crackdown will be dealt with rigorously through means such as requests for administrative penalties from competent authorities, the indictment of perpetrators, and sending perpetrators to prosecution.

Hong Eun-gi, head of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police, said, “We will do our best to relieve public anxieties about the safety and supply of seafood.”

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police receive public reports of illegal activities through their website (www.gg.go.kr/gg_special_cop) and the Gyeonggi-do Call Center (031-120).

On February 6, Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Transport Corporation announced that they would launch the Smart Vehicle integrated transportation platform on February 7. This platform resolves booking and payment as well as DRT and shared personal mobility device access through one application.

‘Smart Vehicle’ means ‘smart riding’ through the use of Gyeonggi’s integrated traffic information service. Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Transport Corporation promoted app development with the Hyundai Motor Company as part of policies to promote future mobility from 2021, and have now released this app.

The newly launched Smart Vehicle app provides access to 10 ‘Smart Buses’ (DRT) and 13,000 electric kickboards (PM).

‘Smart Bus,’ which has been operating since 2021 in the Unjeong area of Paju City, is a ride-sharing-based service that flexibly changes the boarding point and route according to real-time calls from Gyeonggi residents within the operating range. Up to 5 people can call at a time, and transfer discounts for public transportation are also applied through transportation card registration.

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Transport Corporation aim to provide Smart Bus service in eight cities and counties of the province in the first half of this year, starting with Paju City. In the second half of the year, expansion of the service to other cities and counties is planned.

To date, 15 cities and counties, including Suwon, provide electric kickboard services in connection with one company. Boarding and payment can be performed through Smart Vehicle without downloading a separate external app. In the future, Gyeonggi plans to continue to expand the number of external affiliates so as to provide services throughout the province.

In addition, starting with taxis in the second half of this year, Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Transport Corporation are preparing to connect Smart Vehicle with other public transportation means such as buses and subways.

Smart Vehicle can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Users can sign up by linking accounts such as Kakao or Google and registering a payment card for the service. Gyeonggi is also preparing a user review event following the release of the application.

In Chi-kwon, Director of Gyeonggi Province’s Metropolitan Transportation Policy Division, said, “Establishment of an integrated transportation platform (Smart Vehicle) and the operation of smart buses are transportation pledges of the Gyeonggi provincial administration and core initiatives of its opportunity package… By the end of this year, we will link public transportation information to realize transportation welfare that Gyeonggi residents can experience.”

Min Gyeong-seon, President of the Gyeonggi Transport Corporation, said, “We plan to upgrade the platform step by step so that various transportation methods can be linked to the Smart Vehicle app… We will continue to develop the Smart Vehicle platform in line with the changing traffic environment.”

On February 7, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will establish the 4th Gyeonggi Province Mid- to Long-term Child Care Development Plan (2023-2027), which includes this content, for implementation from this year.

This childcare development plan reflects trends such as changes in the childcare environment (family diversity, low birth rate, etc.) and diversification of consumer needs (vulnerable childcare, niche childcare, etc.). The plan consists of a total of 41 tasks with the following four objectives: realization of childcare that respects the rights of infants; respect for the rights of childcare teachers and strengthening their capabilities; strengthening the childcare capabilities of all caregivers; expanding the public childcare base and improving the quality of childcare. In the planning section, research results pertaining to the establishment of a mid- to long-term childcare development plan, policy requests from parents, childcare teachers, and daycare center directors, and field opinions from private experts as well as cities and counties were also reflected.

First, Gyeonggi Province will expand the number of public daycare centers from the current 1,300 by more than 170 every year through to 2026, raising the public childcare utilization rate in the province from 34% to 50% by 2026.

Of particular note, starting this year, new projects will be promoted to expand public childcare infrastructure, including support for the cost of converting an existing daycare center in an apartment into a public daycare center (KRW 120 million) and support for opening preparation funds for the initial establishment of a public daycare center (KRW 20 million).

As a policy to provide “fairer opportunities for childcare,” starting this year, KRW 100,000 per month will be provided in support for the childcare fees of foreign children registered at daycare centers in Gyeonggi Province. In the case of foreign children, childcare fees were differentiated and subsidized according to the region of residence or financial institutions such as kindergartens and daycare centers.

In order to expand “better childcare opportunities,” the number of daycare centers exclusively for children less than a year old will be expanded through a special Gyeonggi project from 320 in 2022 to 380 by 2027 so as to improve the teacher-to-child ratio per a pledge made by the current provincial administration during recent local elections. A daycare center exclusively for children less than a year old is a facility that reduces the teacher-to-child ratio to 1:2 (less than a year old) or 1:3 (1-year-old) for infants who need attentive childcare.

In addition, Gyeonggi Province will strengthen the management quality of existing private and home daycare centers. From 2023, new private daycare centers and home daycare centers will each be provided with KRW 2 to 3 million for environmental improvements that upgrade outdated childcare facilities. The labor cost subsidy for private and home nursery school cooks will also increase from KRW 300,000 per month to KRW 400,000 per month.

Jee Ji-yeon, Director General of Gyeonggi Province’s Women and Family Bureau, said, “Due to the low birth rate, the number of children attending daycare centers is decreasing, while the needs of consumers, including parents, are gradually diversifying… Through life-oriented policies included in the mid- to long-term plan, we will create a childcare environment in which Gyeonggi Province’s infants and toddlers can enjoy more, fairer, and better opportunities without discrimination in terms of residential areas and financial facilities.”

Unlike previous years, Gyeonggi Province’s Special Judicial Police plan to increase the concentration of year-round crackdowns on illegal waste disposal activities with tailored quarterly crackdowns that take into consideration the seasonal characteristics of such acts. Accordingly, the following illegal activities will face intensive crackdowns on a quarterly basis: (Q1) illegal incineration, embankment, and landfill disposal of various wastes under the guise of farmland use that frequently occur in winter; (Q2) illegal disposal of construction waste stemming from increased construction work in spring; (Q3) improper treatment of animal waste due to increased chicken consumption in summer; and (Q4) illegal waste dumping by junk shops and recycling companies.

Since reports from Gyeonggi residents significantly aid in the eradication of such crimes, the Special Judicial Police plan to encourage reports and tips from the public through promotion via local residents and various organizations (environmental groups, community leaders, etc.). The Special Judicial Police plan to foster a social consensus that “illegal acts must be punished” by carrying out preliminary publicity and post-investigation briefings to prevent crimes involving waste.

“We will do our best to improve the satisfaction of Gyeonggi residents and eradicate illegal waste disposal activities by the private sector through a crackdown undertaken jointly with cities and counties,” said Hong Eun-ki, head of Gyeonggi Province’s Public Welfare Special Judicial Police.

Gyeonggi Province’s Special Judicial Police receive reports of illegal activities from Gyeonggi residents through their website (www.gg.go.kr/gg_special_cop) and via the Gyeonggi-do Call Center (031-120).

Illegal waste disposal activities in Gyeonggi Province decreased from 213 cases in 2021 to 150 cases in 2022.

Gyeonggi Province conducted a survey of 1,000 provincial residents aged 18 or older from September 20 to 22 last year. A number of areas were identified by respondents as requiring strengthened crackdowns: environmental pollution (18%); real estate speculation (13%); proxy purchase of alcohol and cigarettes by teenagers (13%); animal abuse (10%); and subsidy corruption in social welfare facilities (9%), among others.

On February 20, Gyeonggi Province held a launching ceremony under the theme of ‘Ask the Governor’ at Dodamso (former gubernatorial residence) with the participation of 48 members of the Gyeonggi Opportunity Reporters Group, including Gyeonggi resident reporters and Dream Tree reporters, as well as Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim.

The Opportunity Reporter Corps consists of a total of 250 people, including the “Gyeonggi Resident Reporters Corps” (made up of teens, college students, and the general public), and the “Gyeonggi Young Reporter Corps” (which includes children aged 11 to 13). Gyeonggi Province launched the newly renamed Opportunity Reporter Corps by integrating existing Dream Tree reporters and Gyeonggi resident (youth, college student, and senior) reporters and tasking them with the discovery and promotion of various opportunities hidden throughout Gyeonggi Province, the “capital of opportunity.”

This year, they will cover the values of Gyeonggi Province (including its major policies and local news), produce news content tailored to appeal to various age groups, and share that content through Gyeonggi’s official blogs, Gyeonggi News Portal, and social media.

Governor Kim presented four representative reporters of Opportunity Reporter Corps, which includes children, teens, college students, and seniors, saying, “Thank you for participating in the Opportunity Reporter Corps that ranges from elementary school students to the general public,” and mentioned the importance of “curiosity,” “sensitivity,” and “drive.”

Governor Kim said, “I think curiosity is the driving force behind the development of individuals and Korea. I hope that you will not hide or suppress your curiosity, but rather express it. When I implement a policy, I always ask ‘Why am I doing this?’”

“Second, I want to talk about sensitivity to social issues and things happening around us. Sustainable development seems to be built up by thinking sensitively and responding to various problems around you. Thirdly, I hope that young students and young adults will constantly be motivated,” he added.

“If you work as a reporter with these three approaches, I think it will help the people of Gyeonggi and help you develop yourself… I hope that Gyeonggi Province will be able to provide many opportunities to the people of Gyeonggi. It would be ideal if you freely give your opinions to create these kinds of opportunities, and if you first present the problems we need to solve when you see them with your own eyes,” he emphasized.

The following question-and-answer session was conducted in a free atmosphere without any prepared questions or scripts.

Reporter Oh Yu-ju, an elementary school student from Yangju City, said, “It feels like communication is cut off in northern Gyeonggi, and there is a lack of spaces to experience art and culture. It would be nice if the harmony of nature, history and art unfolds as a road of opportunity in northern Gyeonggi.”

“I said that I would create a self-governing northern province; this was not just an election slogan, but a belief derived from the experiences I had while running the Korean economy for a long time…The northern part of Gyeonggi has a population of 3.6 million and a well-preserved natural environment, so I want to work hard to develop the region and hope that reporters who are particularly interested in the region will accompany me when they go to northern Gyeonggi,” he said in response.

Reporter Kim Da-yeol, who identified himself as an out-of-school youth, inquired, “Currently, the Democratic Party and the People’s Power Party have the same number of seats in the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, but I am curious about further efforts to be made in the future.” He also expressed his hope that “there will be more opportunities for out-of-school youths.”

Governor Kim said, “The first thing we need in order to govern is sincerity. We must not live according to the logic of political factions or ideologies, but instead work selflessly for Gyeonggi and the people of the province. The second thing we need are visions and policies that transcend ruling and opposition parties. Even if it is an opposition party, I need the skills to secure their agreement with the visions I propose, and the mindset that can be made into policies. Lastly, the real ability to put this into practice is important,” he answered to the first question. Then, responding to the second question, he said, “Out-of-school youths are an issue I am paying attention to and I promise to provide many opportunities.”

In response to the question “If you go back to the past and live as an elementary school student, what kind of work would you like to do and who would you like to meet?” he said that his father was very strict, so he was always under pressure to study. At the same time, he also expressed his longing for his father, saying, “The person I most want to meet is my father, who passed away when I was in the 6th grade of elementary school.”

Governor Kim had time to communicate casually with the reporters through various questions and answers, such as those regarding the progress of pledges relating to an airbase and how he felt when he was elected Governor of Gyeonggi Province.

The Animal Cruelty Prevention Team, which was newly established through organizational restructuring at the end of December 2022, consists of a total of 4 people: 1 fifth grade official as a team leader as well as 2 sixth grade officials and 1 seventh grade official.

Gyeonggi Province uncovered a total of 173 animal-related crimes from 2019 to 2022 after the Animal Protection Act was included in the scope of investigations by the Special Judicial Police in November 2018. By year, there were 67 cases in 2019, 66 cases in 2020, 29 cases in 2021, and 11 cases in 2022.

The newly established Animal Cruelty Prevention Team has four main targets: the cruel or intentional killing of animals; the infliction of physical pain or injury without cause; unauthorized animal breeding; and unregistered animal businesses (sales, consignment management, etc.).

At the end of 2020, according to Statistics Korea, there were 860,000 households with pets in Gyeonggi Province, accounting for 27.8% of Gyeonggi’s 3.13 million households.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police receive reports of illegal activities from provincial residents through their official website (www.gg.go.kr/gg_special_cop) and via the Gyeonggi-do Call Center (031-120).

Hong Eun-gi, head of Gyeonggi Province’s Civil Welfare Special Judicial Police, said, “With the establishment of the dedicated Animal Abuse Prevention Team, we will strictly monitor various illegal acts related to animals so as to create a Gyeonggi Province in which everyone is happy and prosperous while also actively working to achieve a consensus on respect for life among provincial residents.”