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. Gyeonggi Governor’s Residence Opens for Weddings (160801-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] The former Gyeonggi gubernatorial residence, which underwent renovation and reopened as a cultural park with a guest house for use by the public, has now become a popular venue for outdoor wedding ceremonies.
▶ Good Morning House (July 30)
The elegantly transformed garden of these new facilities, now named Good Morning House, provides an ideal setting for such events with its surrounding natural environment.
▶ [PiP] Lee Dong-min & Ok Chan-ryung / Wedding Couple
“Unlike uncharacteristic wedding ceremonies at wedding halls, this makes our wedding more special and gives us a real party atmosphere.”
After an approximately three-hour-long wedding ceremony and party, which is unusually relaxing by modern-day Korean standards, this newlywed couple will spend their wedding night in the guest house within the park.
Use of the garden is free since the park is open to the public. Their wedding day only cost this couple KRW 5 million for sundry marriage expenses.
▶ Park Available for Wedding Ceremonies on Saturdays
Since this past May, Gyeonggi Province has made the Good Morning House available for wedding ceremonies on Saturdays.
▶ Cha Jeong-suk / Director, Gyeonggi Province General Affairs Division
“This had been the residence of Gyeonggi Province governors since 1967. We made this beautiful place available for public use including wedding ceremonies free of charge.”
Those couples who opt for a small-yet-stylish and memorable outdoor wedding may apply for use of the Good Morning House. Applications can be made by any couple with at least one parent who is a Gyeonggi resident.

Article 2. Performance of Gyeonggi Employment Center Increases (160801-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] Despite recent unfavorable employment market conditions in Korea, the number of successful employment cases realized via the Gyeonggi Employment Center – or GEC – has increased significantly. The greatest increase was observed among seniors and those seeking regular jobs.

▶ Successful Employment via GEC Increased 29%
During the first half of this year, nearly 150,000 job searchers found employment via GEC, a 29 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
[CGs-Overlap] Among those were 46,000 seniors, accounting for 30 percent, and women at 56 percent.
▶ Regular Jobs Account for 99.4%
Especially notable is the fact that, out of this total, the number of those who found regular jobs accounted for 99.4 percent.
▶ Bae Han-il / Director, Gyeonggi Employment Center
“The reason behind such a performance increase is active employment support for seniors and middle aged individuals in cooperation with related organizations as well as joint efforts with local administrations.”
GEC’s performance improvement is also attributed to the increased number of employment consultants.
During the second half of this year, Gyeonggi Province will focus more on employment support services that have greater success rates such as on-site services.

Article 3. Temporary Water Parks Open at City Halls in Gyeonggi (160801-3)
[Anchor’s Headline] The temporary water parks installed at city halls in Gyeonggi Province are gaining popularity among local residents. These swimming facilities with water slides offer local children and their families welcome summer retreats within the city free of charge.

▶ Yongin City Plaza Water Park
With temperatures remaining continuously above 30 degrees Celsius, the water park in the plaza of Yongin (용인) City Hall is already crowded with frolicking children even though it is a weekday morning.
▶ Kim Jae-beom / Yongin City Resident
“Children can play in the water under the watchful care of many lifeguards at very low costs. This is the best way of summering for my family.”
All the facilities including the swimming pool, water slides, pedal boats and air balls are offered free of charge
▶ Yongin City Water Park Used by 110,000 Residents Last Year
The Yongin (용인) City Water Park, which saw more than 110,000 visitors last year, opened with expanded facilities this year.
▶ Lee Jong-min / Yongin City Child
“It was so much fun rolling and sliding inside the air ball like a squirrel. I was very excited and completely forgot the heat.”
The water park in the plaza of Pyeongtaek (평택) City Hall is also packed with residents.
▶ Pyeongtaek City Water Park
Pyeongtaek (평택) City is particularly concerned about the safety of its users. At this water park, water quality is checked on an hourly basis. Also, a large number of lifeguards stand vigilant among the fun seekers, and medical personnel are constantly ready to respond to emergencies.
There are also other temporary, city-run water parks currently open in Gyeonggi Province that are enjoying great popularity among local residents.

▶ [PIP] Doo Eun-seok / Director, Yongin City Sports Promotion Department
“This year, we built the facilities larger and more diverse. The swimming pool for young children, for example, was expanded from pervious 150 square meters to 300 square meters …”

Article 4. Gyeonggi Implements 7 Urban Waterway Revival Projects (160802-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province announced the implementation of seven urban waterway revival projects this year. These waterways will be transformed into ecologically clean environments.

▶ Gyeongancheon, Yongin City
Stream banks will also be landscaped to provide scenic retreats with promenades and flower gardens for the enjoyment of local residents.
▶ Song Gi-seon / Yongin City Resident
“There used to be a lot of parking lots along the banks, and the water was filthy. However, the water has become much cleaner and the environment has completely changed. I often come out here to play with my children now.”
The water has become clean enough to readily support native flora and fauna. Fish, plants and animals that had disappeared from this stream in Anyang (안양) City have now returned after the completion of a waterway revival project in 2013.
▶ 7 Urban Stream to be Restored This Year
Out of Gyeonggi Province’s 25 urban waterway revival project areas, seven will be transformed into ecological river parks this year.
▶ [PiP] Kim Yun-gi / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Water Ecology Team
“We will also install facilities that help visitors enjoy the stream so as to develop the areas into favorite destinations for local residents.”
[CG] The seven urban waterways that will undergo revival work this year are indicated on this map.
Urban waterway revival work involves a variety of related efforts including development control, water rerouting and landscaping. The result will be the revival of waterways with lively eco-tems that can also be enjoyed by residents.

Article 5. Gyeonggi Governor Moves to Secure National Subsidies (160802-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil began active efforts to secure national subsidies for next year’s provincial budget. He invited related politicians to a meeting for a discussion of provincial budgetary requirements for next year.

▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (August 1)
Gyeonggi Province Political Meeting with Saenuri Party
The meeting was attended by Saenuri (새누리) Party Political Committee members as well as members of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Requests National Subsidies of KRW 1.7 Trillion for 12 Projects
Gyeonggi Province requires national subsidies totaling KRW 1.7 trillion for 12 projects.
▶ KRW 15 Billion Required for Double-decker Bus Imports
One of the 12 projects that requires a national subsidy is the import of 141 double-decker buses this year to help alleviate transportation problems faced by commuters to Seoul. There are 9 double-decker buses currently operating in Gyeonggi Province.
▶ Park Sun-ja / National Assembly Member
“I believe that the operation of double-decker buses has several tangible and intangible effects on quality of life for Gyeonggi residents …”
A pet animal theme park development project, the first of its kind in Korea, also received positive responses from the participating politicians.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“These will be the very first comprehensive pet animal facilities in the world that include animal shelters, graves and a hospital …”
Other provincial projects that require national subsidies include those for social overhead capital such as roads and railways.
▶ Kim Gwang-lim / Saenuri Party Political Committee Chairman
“I think it is very important for Gyeonggi Province to have as much supporting data as possible with which to negotiate with the central government. What is good for Gyeonggi Province is good for Korea, so …”
Governor Nam, whose foremost mission during his remaining time in office is to realize the targeted creation of 700,000 jobs, also stated that he will do his utmost to secure sufficient funds for this purpose.

Article 6. Gyeonggi Libraries Promote Multicultural Resident Reading Groups (160803-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province has the largest number of foreign residents in Korea. In order to help them overcome cultural barriers and better adapt to Korean society, provincial libraries began promoting reading groups comprised of Koreans and non-Koreans.

▶ Jipyeong Library, Yangpyeong County
A children’s reading group has gathered at this library to attend a story-telling session.
▶ [Sync] “The earthworms crawled through the soil here and there. So, what happened? They created tunnels through which water could seep into the soil. Did that make plants happy? Or sad?”
Inspired by the realistic story-telling, children began asking questions. The story-telling session is followed by various experiential programs related to the story.
▶ [PIP] Choi Eun-seo (Aged 7) / Love Tree Childcare Home
“The teacher told us an earthworm story and it was really interesting.”
Among these children are those from multicultural families.
▶ Park Gyeong-hui / Teacher, Reading Therapist
“I focus on conveying the stories to children as realistically as possible.”
There are also reading groups of adult foreign residents of diverse nationalities who work with locals and instructors within the group.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Supports 17 Multicultural Reading Groups
In addition to the existing 6 reading groups that will receive continuous provincial guidance, 11 more groups were organized recently throughout the province.
▶ Park Gyeong-suk / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Library Support Team
“We began organizing and supporting multicultural reading groups so as to create a joint society of local and foreign residents since Gyeonggi Province is becoming a multicultural society.”
There are approximately 360,000 registered foreign nationals living in Gyeonggi Province. The province will introduce expanded support programs to ensure their comfortable adaptation.

Article 7. Farm Experience Programs Abound in Gyeonggi Province (160803-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] While many Koreans are leaving for popular summer destinations domestically and overseas, there are a number of locations in the countryside of Gyeonggi Province that provide excellent opportunities for escaping from the heat.

▶ Yeoncheon Aeshim Stock Farm
They are private farms that offer various entertaining programs to visitors during the summer. This stock farm is one such place where children can participate in cheese making. Outside, others attempt to feed milk to calves for the first time.
▶ Cho Dong-sin / Visitor from Bucheon City
“It was a meaningful time for my family. We could experience things that we couldn’t in the city.”
After the farm experiences, children took to the local river for freshwater fishing. For the children and their families, there seems to be no better way to enjoy a refreshing summer than fishing in the cool waters of a river valley.
▶ 113 Farm Experience Facilities in Gyeonggi Province
The number of visitors to farm experience facilities is growing rapidly each year. Some distinguished facilities were designated as excellent farm experience facilities by Gyeonggi Province.
▶ Lim Yeong-chun / Gyeonggi Agricultural Research and Extension Services Official
“A variety of farm experience programs will provide children with valuable opportunities to foster emotional development and understand the values of nature and farming.”
For parents seeking an excellent and economic way for their children to enjoy summer vacation, farm experiences in a quiet natural environment away from crowds can be an ideal alternative.

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