Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV.
I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week.

Article 1. Pre-Winter Kimchi-Making Charity Event (161107-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] On November 2, this year’s annual pre-winter kimchi-making event, or ‘gimjang (김장)’, for charity took place on the quad of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex.

▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (November 2)
Charity Gimjang Event
The quad was lined with worktables along which hundreds of women worked briskly with cabbage and other kimchi ingredients, all the while conversing happily with smiling faces.
▶ [Sync] “The cost of gimjang is higher this year because of price increases. By 20 percent right?” “Yes, 20 percent. That is a little too much…”

▶ 300+ Women Filled Provincial Government Complex Quad
Organized by Gyeonggi Province in cooperation with women’s associations, this event featured more than 300 women, including North Korean defectors who prepared North Korean-style kimchi.
▶ Baek Chun-suk / Participant, North Korean Defector
“It makes me feel happy to serve those who have North Korean origins, and even happier when they say our kimchi tastes good.”

▶ 5,000 Heads of Kimchi Delivered to Neighbors in Need
A total of 5,000 heads of kimchi were prepared today and delivered to solitary seniors, multicultural families, and welfare facilities.
▶ [PiP] Lee Bo-bae / Recipient, Solitary Senior, Suwon City
“I still have some kimchi left and, with this, I will be able to eat kimchi through the winter.”
This time of year, charity gimjang events like this take place throughout the nation for those who are living in difficult circumstances.

Article 2. Gyeonggi’s Intellectual Property Specialist Education Successful (161107-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] Since 2014, Gyeonggi Province has been operating an intellectual property specialist education program so as to address the increasing demand for patent agents, and has achieved high employment rates for its graduates.

▶ Patent Agency, Seoul
Kim (김성환) is one such graduate who successfully found employment as a patent agent after the education program.
▶ Intensive Practical Education Combined with Employment Placement Services
This program, which offers an intensive practical education course, is combined with employment placement services.
▶ [PiP] Kim Seong-hwan / Intellectual Property Specialist Education Course Graduate
“The education program was primarily based on practical affairs that actually occur in everyday dealings at patent agencies…”
The course consists of 8 weeks of case-based classes plus 8 weeks of on-site job experience.
▶ [PiP] Gwon Gu-seong / Patent Agency Representative
“We could give him actual job assignments as soon as he joined us since he already had good knowledge about what we do and how to respond to the needs of our clients.”
[CG] The most recent education program session has produced sixty graduates. To date, 79 percent of the graduates from the first four course sessions have found employment, of which 87 percent are regular employment positions.
▶ Eom Jin-seop / Director, Gyeonggi Province Science & Technology Division
“We will continue with this education program to promote employment of a high caliber for both job seekers and those enterprises specializing in intellectual property.”
With the patent and intellectual property service industry growing steadily in Korea, Gyeonggi Province’s education program in this field is providing a timely supply of educated professionals while promoting new employment.

Article 3. Abandoned Dogs Trained as Psychological Treatment Aides (161107-3)
[Anchor’s Headline] The Assistance Dog Sharing Center of Gyeonggi Province is a special dog training center that transforms abandoned dogs into personal aides and supplies them to those who can benefit from their services. Some of these dogs are serving as psychological treatment aides for children.

▶ Kindergarten, Pyeongtaek City
At this kindergarten, children talk to a dog about their embarrassing experiences.
▶ [Sync] “I acted badly to my mom”
“Did that embarrass you?”
This is a type of psychological treatment technique in which children are relieved of their depression through catharsis by talking to friendly dogs that were trained to act as listeners.
▶ Lee Eun-ho / Kindergarten Student
“People laugh at me or don’t pay any attention to me when I talk. I feel much better when I talk to the dog because he keeps looking at me and listens to me while I talk to him.”
Last year, this curly-haired little dog was moved from an abandoned animal shelter in Gyeonggi Province to the Assistance Service Dog Sharing Center, and has since been trained as a psychological treatment aide.
▶ Myeong Jae-sin / Counseling Psychologist
“The use of live and friendly animals appeals to children better and makes it easier for them to open up.”

▶ Gyeonggi Province Service Dog Sharing Center
This center trains dogs selected from 21 animal shelters in the province for various purposes, including the psychological treatment of children, and supplies them to their new owners free of charge.
▶ [PiP] Yeo Wun-chang / Director, Gyeonggi Province Assistance Dog Sharing Center
“We have so far delivered 45 dogs to individuals with disabilities, 12 dogs to solitary seniors, and 340 dogs to general homes.”
Abandoned animals are emerging as a new social issue in Korea. Last year alone, an estimated 14,000 dogs were abandoned in Gyeonggi Province.

Article 4. Gyeonggi Improves Working Conditions for Firefighters (161108-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province announced its plan to improve working conditions and welfare for firefighters, earmarking KRW 234 billion by the year 2018 for this purpose.

▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (November 3)
Announcement of ‘Lee Byeong-gon Plan’
Titled the ‘Lee Byeong-gon (이병곤) Plan’ in memory of a firefighter who died in the line of duty, this plan includes an increase of personnel and equipment as well as the improvement of working conditions and medical services for firefighters.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“We are announcing the plan that was devised to accommodate as much as Gyeonggi Province can.”

▶ Improvement 1: Personnel Increase
The most notable item of the plan is the addition of 500 fire personnel annually until the year 2020. This will enable the 3-shift operation rate to increase from the current 82 percent to 100 percent.
▶ Improvement 2: 24-Hour Childcare Facilities
To support 3-shift operations, customized 24-hour childcare facilities will operate for firefighter families.
▶ Oh Byeong-gwon / Director General, Gyeonggi Province Planning & Coordination Office
“We will invest an additional KRW 234 billion over the next two years, which will increase the fire budget for 2018 to KRW 995 billion.”

▶ Improvement 3: Medical Services
Medical costs for job-related injuries will be supported 100 percent and medical services will also be improved through cooperation with large medical institutes.
▶ Improvement 4: Personal Equipment
The supply of personal safety equipment will be improved in terms of both quantity and quality while ageing equipment will be replaced.
▶ Relocation and Addition of Fire Stations and 119 Safety Centers
This plan also includes the relocation, reconstruction and addition of fire stations and 119 safety centers.

Article 5. Gyeonggi Supports Enterprises Leading in Women Employment (161108-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] In order to promote good workplaces for women, Gyeonggi Province has been operating an award-and-support system for those enterprises that excel in providing superior employment conditions to women.

Jeon (전은주) is a research team leader in a biotechnology enterprise. After helping her children prepare for school, she reports to work an hour later than others thanks to the flexible-working-hour system.
▶ [PIP] Jeon Eun-soo / Good Women Employer Employee
“Before this current job, my children had to suffer because I had to hurry to work every morning. However, I now enjoy quality time with them, eating breakfast together before leaving home.”

▶ Gyeonggi Selects 57 Good Women Employer This year
This year, Gyeonggi Province selected 57 enterprises as Good Women Employer award recipients. This biotechnology enterprise received the top prize for high rates of employment and job satisfaction among women with prize money of KRW 10 million in working condition improvement support. All the selected enterprises are provided with various supports and financial priority benefits.
▶ Ahn Chi-gwon / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Women’s Jobs Team
“We plan to provide additional consulting services to promote flexible time system as a business cultural fixture.”
The Good Women Employer award system of Gyeonggi Province aims to promote employment as well as workplace conditions for women.

Article 6. Gyeonggi Begins Microdust-Generating Facility Inspections (161108-3)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province began inspections of microdust-generating facilities in industrial complexes of the province. Counter to the general belief that it is a spring occurrence, atmospheric microdust actually increases during the winter.

▶ Microdust, an Unwelcome Guest in Winter
When autumn begins to make way for winter, microdust concentrations in the air begin to increase.
[CG] According to statistics, microdust concentrations in Gyeonggi Province usually begin to rise in November and peak in February.
▶ Wu Jeong-sik / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Atmospheric Research Team
“People generally believe that microdust is a spring time occurrence, but in fact it is during the winter that microdust increases due to increased fuel consumption and the dry weather.”

▶ Inspections Planned in 63 Industrial Areas in Gyeonggi Province
Inspections will be conducted at air pollutant-generating facilities as well as pollution control facilities in 63 industrial areas of the province. There are more than 3,600 such facilities, with the majority concentrated in the incineration, textile, and paper industries.
▶ Yang Jae-hyun / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Industrial Complex Guidance Team
“We will focus on leakages, filtering systems, and cleaning water supplying systems.”
Industrial complex inspections will continue until February next year in tandem with inspections of diesel-fueled vehicles and construction machinery.

Article 7. Korea Gyeonggi Province Incorporated Established (161109-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] On November 8, the official foundation of Korea Gyeonggi Province Incorporated finally took place with an inaugural meeting. This provincial enterprise will become the center for design and marketing support for SMEs in the province.

▶ Startup Campus (November 8)
Korea Gyeonggi Province Inaugural Meeting
This corporate enterprise was conceived by Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil (남경필) as a means to support SMEs that have technological power but lack production and communication capabilities. It is also a core project of a shared market economy and one manifestation of political coalition, both of which Governor Nam has been pursuing since entering office.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“This is a business model that exists nowhere else in the world; an enterprise through which a business platform is provided by the public sector and its operations are performed by the most creative personnel of the private sector…”

▶ Gyeonggi Chamber of Commerce and Gyeonggi SME Association Join as Partners
It was launched with an initial capitalization of KRW 6 billion in which the Gyeonggi Chamber of Commerce and the Gyeonggi SME Association participated as partners. The appointed president, who has significant experience as a CEO in brand marketing, is expected to effectively lead SME marketing support operations.
▶ Operations to Begin on November 25
Full-fledged operation of Korea Gyeonggi Province Incorporated is slated to begin on November 25.

Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV
We look forward to seeing you again next week.