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 Food Exports Soar (160421-3)
[Anchor’s Headline] Despite suppressed business environments as indicated by the reduced national growth rate forecast by the Bank of Korea, the export of food products from Gyeonggi Province increased significantly this year.

[CG] For the first quarter of this year, the agricultural exports of Gyeonggi Province amounted to USD 268 million, a 33 percent increase over the same period last year and the highest increase in 5 years.
▶ Korean Wave Helps Export to China
In addition to the decreased value of the Korean won, the Korean Wave – led by TV dramas and K-pop – is playing an important role in raising demand for Korean foods in China.
▶ Jeong Sang-sik / Dried Sea Weed Exporter
“China ranked third among our export destinations until last year, but after February, China became the largest buyer. This can perhaps be attributed to the growth of the Korean Wave there.”

▶ Exports of Fishery Products, Fresh Vegetables, and Processed Foods Increased
Exports to other countries also increased, especially fishery products, which increased 192 percent, while fresh vegetable exports increased 22 percent and processed food exports increased 18 percent.
▶ Moon Jae-yeol / Director, Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Products Distribution Division
“Agricultural product export is increasing significantly that the targeted export of USD 1.5 billion may be achieved earlier than expected.”
Gyeonggi Province plans to maintain this trend of increasing exports to the end of the year through the provision of various export facility and marketing supports.

Article 2. Eastern Gyeonggi Regions Unite in Regulatory Mitigation (160422-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province and five local governments in eastern regions of the province recently joined in an official agreement for collective regulatory mitigation efforts so as to achieve more effective economic development in these regions.

▶ Food Processing Enterprise in Icheon City
In 1981, in response to increasing overseas demand, this soy sauce-producing enterprise purchased land to expand its production capacity. However, the Capital District Development Law, which was enacted in 1982, prohibited any further development in the area.
▶ Oh Gyeong-hwan / Saempyo Food Ind. Icheon Plant Manager
“Under the new law, we have been unable to expand our plant even by a square meter. I think those industries that are already in the area should be given a special consideration…”

▶ Conference Hall, Saempyo Food Ind. (April 20)
Eastern Gyeonggi Regional Development Movement Agreement
This is one of the many adverse effects of stringent regulations that Gyeonggi Province and five cities and counties of eastern Gyeonggi regions will address through joint efforts.
▶ Local Development Specialist Teams Established
Based on the agreement and proposed solutions, teams of specialists will begin establishing detailed action plans.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“Let us create eastern Gyeonggi regions that will become an industrial center of Korea in which environment and industry coexist…”
Gyeonggi Province will provide these regions with active administrative and financial support, and will jointly endeavor to secure similar support from the central government.

Article 3. Gyeonggi Medical Centers Undertake Treatment of Abused Children (160426-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province has arranged for six provincial medical centers to undertake the treatment of child abuse victims through simplified procedures. Eleven child welfare organizations also joined in these procedures via a cooperation agreement.

▶ Child Abuse Prevention Video
According to Korean government statistics, 80 percent of child abuse in Korea is inflicted by parents. This makes it difficult for victims to be protected from their abusers and receive necessary treatment since such actions require parental consent.
▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (April 25)
Cooperation Agreement for Medical Treatment of Abused Children
These medical centers and welfare organizations will facilitate the treatment of children with mental and physical trauma by abridging complicated procedures.
▶ Yu Byeong-uk / Director, Gyeonggi Provincial medical Center Suwon Hospital
“I believe this system will work very well since the six provincial medical centers are ideally distributed throughout the province. We will do our utmost and help create a happy society in Gyeonggi Province.”

▶ Abuse Victims Provided with Medical Cost Support
In addition to better treatment, abuse victims will also be provided with medical cost support as well as follow-up mental counseling services by child protection specialists.
▶ Kim Mi-ho / Director of Child Protection Organization
“We really need to establish infrastructure for long-term trauma treatment. I hope there will be continuous support provided for these children up until they reach adulthood and become active members of society.”

▶ 8 Public & Private Organizations Meeting
In March, eight organizations including the education office, police, court and medical institutes convened to discuss ways in which to prevent child abuse and to protect victims.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Social Integration Vice Governor Lee Ki-woo
“I think that it is our duty to take responsibility for the future of our children and create a society in which child abuse can be prevented.”
Vice Governor Lee stressed the necessity for programs for the systematic prevention and identification of child abuse as well as for treatment and follow-up support for its victims.

Article 4. Common Distribution Center for SMEs Planned in Gunpo (0426-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] A common distribution center for SMEs is slated to open in the Gunpo (군포) Distribution Complex of Gyeonggi Province. Its opening was realized by the provincial government as part of its shared market economy policy through an agreement with a large distribution enterprise.

▶ Gunpo Distribution Complex
The Gunpo (군포) Distribution Complex, with more than 60 resident distribution enterprises, is one of the largest in Korea and strategically located close to metropolitan areas and expressways. However, the costs of such facilities are usually beyond the means of smaller enterprises.
[CG-Overlap] According to a Gyeonggi provincial survey, six out of ten SMEs in the province are unable to utilize distribution service facilities.
▶ Agreement between Gyeonggi Province & CJ Korea Express (April 25)
On April 25, Gyeonggi Province signed an agreement with CJ Korea Express.
▶ Common Distribution Center to Open in July
Under this agreement, CJ will establish a common distribution center in the complex for use by SMEs at low costs.
▶ Park Geun-tae / CEO, CJ Korea Express
“We will provide assistance to SMEs. We will also open our distribution research center for distribution consultations.”

▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“Facility sharing with SMEs is a new business model for large enterprises. Gyeonggi Province is participating in this as a third party, which is another new economic model.”

▶ More Than 100 SMEs to Benefit from Lost-Cost Distribution Resources
This common distribution center will be large enough to accommodate the operations of more than a hundred small and medium-sized enterprises. Resident enterprises can utilize the facilities for storage as well as for inventory management either directly or through specialized agencies.
▶ Kim Gyu-beom / Distribution Agency Personnel
“Rent and labor costs are the two largest cost factors. If one of these two issues is resolved, it will be a major relief for business operations.”
The common distribution center is slated to open for utilization by SMEs in July upon finalization of detailed rental conditions between Gyeonggi Province and CJ Korea Express.

Article 5. Visibility of Road Markings to Improve in Gyeonggi Province (160420-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] In road marking contracts, Gyeonggi Province recently began applying visibility guarantee clauses so as to improve the safety of moving vehicles, especially after dark and in wet conditions. This initiative stems from a premature loss of road marking visibility.

Loss of road line visibility is every driver’s nightmare and can cause serious accidents especially at night and on rainy days.
▶ [PiP] Hyun Yweong-sin / Driver on the Road, Hwaseong City
“I often found myself driving on the other side of the center line or on two lanes because I couldn’t see the road lines. If lines are more visible…”
Road markings are designed to reflect the headlights of vehicles to their drivers. However, such reflection diminishes quickly in heavy traffic sections.
▶ Road Marking Visibility Guaranty Clauses
According to the road marking visibility guarantee clauses, the contractor must repaint the markings if reflection performance fails to last six months.
▶ Use of Paint with Improved Quality
Also, paint specifications were upgraded so as to ensure high reflection performance and the durability of road markings.
▶ [PiP] Yun Seok-tae / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Road Environment Improvement Team
“These clauses specify upgraded requirements for paint and require contractors to re-paint if the markings fail to pass the tests after 6 months of painting.”
Road markings in Gyeonggi Province will now be subjected to reflection performance inspections at 3-month intervals so as to ensure the safety of road users.

Article 6. Chinese Panda Bear Couple Arrives at Everland (160422-2)
[Anchor’s Headline] Earlier in March, a panda couple arrived at a theme park in Gyeonggi Province as a gift to Koreans from China. Representing one of the most beloved but endangered animal species in the world, this couple recently made their debut to the public.

▶ Panda World, Yongin Everland
Each weighing nearly 100 kilograms, these pandas – with signature black patches around their eyes – appear happy in their new home at Yongin (용인) Everland. With a nonchalant air, they move their cuddly bodies with ease as they climb a tree.
▶ [PiP] Kim Dae-won & Kim tae-hwan / Viewer from South Chungcheong Province
“My children were so eager to come and see pandas. So, we bought some panda toys and arrived here. At first, my children thought the real pandas were dolls.”
“Pandas are cute!”

▶ Korea Became 14th Home of Pandas
The arrival of these pandas as a symbol of Sino-Korean friendship made Korea the fourteenth nation to host pandas.
▶ GTV Reporter Lee Ye-sol
“Aibao and Lubao, the panda couple from Sichuan Province of China, are meeting Korean friends at Panda World, their new home.”

▶ Yong Everland (April 21)
Opening of ‘Panda World’
Having successfully completed a 50-day adaptation period, Everland opened Panda World to the public for the first time on April 21.
▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil
“Gyeonggi Province and its residents will provide every support to help people enjoy and love pandas. I trust Everland will take good care of them and keep this symbol of Korea-China friendship healthy and thriving.”

▶ Aibao: Treasure of Love / Lubao: Treasure of Pleasure
Named Aibao, meaning treasure of love, and Lubao, meaning treasure of pleasure, these two pandas will also become treasures of Gyeonggi Province.

Article 7. Gyeonggi Province’s Visiting Industrial Consultation Services (160425-1)
[Anchor’s Headline] There are areas in Gyeonggi Province in which the number of factories grew spontaneously to form densely populated industrial areas. Being beyond the scope of governmental projects, the enterprises in such areas face many difficulties that cannot be resolved without administrative assistance.

▶ Industrial Areas in Pyeongtaek City
Gyeonggi Province officials have been visiting these areas on a regular basis, like this industrial area in Pyeongtaek (평택) City, to investigate problems first hand and find solutions, possibly on site, with industrial representatives.
▶ Yuk Geun-ho / Vice President, Changseong Tech
“The roads that lead to this area are too narrow for vehicles to travel in both directions.”

▶ Kim Jang-eung / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Total Business Support Team
“Please let us have your project plan; we will then positively review it.”

▶ Visiting Industrial Consultation Services
Gyeonggi Province’s on-site meetings with enterprises in industrial areas for site problem resolution have been conducted under the name of ‘Visiting Industrial Consultation Services’
▶ [PIP] Kim Cheol-gi / Managing Director, G-Smart
“We used to have roads with sharp curves that limited access by large vehicles. However, provincial consultation services and the enterprises in the area worked together and resolved the problem.”

▶ Regional Operation of Visiting Industrial Consultation Teams
Launched this year, the Visiting Industrial Consultation Services will be operated for four provincial regional divisions on a monthly basis.
▶ [PiP] Kim Jang-eung / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Total Business Support Team
“Since dense factory areas seriously lack industrial infrastructure, we will operate visiting industrial consultation services to identify and resolve problems on a monthly basis.”

▶ Industrial SOS Home Page (giupsos.or.kr)
To request a visit by an industrial consultation team, also known as an Industrial SOS Team, or to receive more information, please visit the Industrial SOS homepage of Gyeonggi Province.

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