Article1. Gyeonggi Institute Develops Frost Forecasting Program(0203-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The Gyeonggi Agricultural Research and Extension Services developed a frost forecasting program that can generate a detailed map of areas projected to be subject to frost 48hoursin advance.
[Report]
This is a peach farm in Icheon (이천) City.
1) Peach Farms Badly Hit by Frost Last Year
About half of the seven hundred peach trees in this orchard died due to unusually low temperatures last winter. There are many stumps of dead trees. Those left standing have branches that are easily snapped, indicating that they have also died. It takes five years for a peach tree to achieve full growth and bear fruit.
2) Seon Jae-in / Peach Farmer
“Trees died right after blossoming. I lost about KRW 60 million. I just don’t know what to do.”
3) Frost Forecasting Program for Frost Damage Prevention
The frost map generated by this program on the institute’s homepage indicates areas in which freezing temperatures are anticipated. The danger levels of frost damage are color-coded:safer areas areindicated by green colors while darker red indicates the areas with a higher risk of frost damage.
4) JeongGu-hyeon / Researcher, Gyeonggi Agricultural Research & Extension Servuices
“Farmers in the projected freezing areas can minimize frost damage by wrapping tree trunks and main braches with insulating materials such as straw.”
Fortunately, temperatureshas have been moderate this winter, although, according to experts, farmers must be especially alert during April and May when trees are more susceptible to frost damage.
 
Article 2. 99% Industrial SOS Cases Resolved Last Year(0204-2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The Enterprise SOS System of Gyeonggi Province achieved remarkable results last year, resolving 99 percent of nearly twenty thousand cases of industrial distress in the province.
[Report]
This company produces and sells sun-dried salt via direct sales channels throughout Korea.
1) Food Production Permit Denied Due to Restrictions
This company joined a business incubation center at a university in 2011.
The owner of the company had met more than two hundred officials, but had been unable to obtain a food production permit due to legal complications until August last year.
2) Industrial SOS Resolved Permit Problem
The owner contacted Enterprise SOS as a last resort, and was finally able to obtain the long-awaited permit when the SOS tem applied the Special Venture Enterprise Law.
3) Kim Min / Owner of Salt Producer
“(The Enterprise SOSis) is like relief via a short cut. It helped me a lot and enabled me to save costs.”
The Enterprise SOS System aims to create a favorable business environment for enterprises.
4) 99% of Industrial SOS Calls Resolved in 2013
Ninety-nine percent of nearly twelve thousand Enterprise SOS calls were resolved in Gyeonggi Province last year.
The SOS teams also attended on-site meetings with industrial personnel to tematically assist enterprises in resolving nearly seven hundred cases of industrial distress.
The SOS tem also contributed to administrative improvement through the simplification of procedures and mitigation of restrictions.
5) Kang Shin-gap / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Province Enterprise SOS Team 1
“I believe that such a remarkable rate of resolution can be attributed to effective interactions between local administrations and the provincial SOS teams.”
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government also plans to establish local desks through which enterprises can raise issues regarding provincial regulations so as to identify and rectify inefficient and unreasonable restrictions. 

Article3. Gyeonggi Institute Develops Sweet Rice Drink(0205-2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
Riding the boom of the Korean Wave, international interest in Korean food has recentlybeen increasing. Thishas also led to the development of soft drinks that were modified from traditional Korean sweet beverages.
[Report]
Shikhye (식혜) is a representative traditional Korean sweet beverage made from fermented rice.
However, this shikhye (식혜) producer had been unable to launch its product overseas because the drink contained rice grains.
1) JeongJoong-shik / Managing Director, Shikhye Company
“Fermented rice grains are part of Shikhye, but foreigners find it hard to accept a drink having an intermediate ingredient still in it.”
2) New Shikhye without Rice Grains
Together with the Gyeonggi Agricultural Research and Extension Services, this company succeeded in developing shikhye(식혜) drinks that contain banana extract instead of rice grains.
3) New Shikhye with Doubled Essential Amino Acid Contents
Made in the same traditional method from rice powder instead of lightly streamed rice, and with banana extractadded, this modified traditional drink contains twice as much healthy amino acid as its ordinary counterpart.
4) Kim Hee-dong / Research and Development Manager, GARES
“The purpose of the development of this drink is to promote consumption of Gyeonggi rice. We will continue to develop new ways in which to utilize agricultural products of Gyeonggi Province.”
This new drink has already found markets in the United States, China and Vietnam, with shipments beginning from this month.
Company personnel say that is also an ideal drink for growing children.
 
Article4. Gyeonggi Province Marks USD 100 Billion Export Record(140203-2)
[Anchor’s Headline]
For the first time in its history, Gyeonggi Province marked a record USD 100 billion in exports last year. Export sales have increased in all product categories, with the most pronounced growth seen in semiconductor components.
[Report]
The year 2013 was the busiest year for this export and import logistics management company at Pyeongtaek (평택) Port of Gyeonggi Province.
1) Kim Seong-am / Operation Manager, Dongbang Export/Import Logistics Management Co.
“The volume of exports to China increased considerably. Exports of general commodities as well as other items increased substantially last year.”
2) Gyeonggi Exports Mark USD 102 Billion
Achieving USD 102 billion in exports, Gyeonggi Provincelead export volumes among the large autonomous bodies of Korea in 2013.
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Compared to exports of USD 88 billion in 2012, the export volume ofGyeonggi Province increased 16 percent last year. None of the product categories showed stagnation in overseassales.
3) Semiconductor Exports Increased by 22%
Semiconductor components saw the highest increase in export numbers at 22 percent, partly due to the shrinkage of international supply sources and price increases.
Other notable increases in exports included 33.1 percent in wireless communication equipment and 4.3 percent in automobiles. Imaging equipment exportsalso increased considerably.
4) Hong Ji-sang / Chief, Korea Trade Association Gyeonggi Provincial Headquarters
“Export increases in IT-related products in 2013 are expected to continue this year. This is also true for non-IT products such as automobiles and mechanical equipment.”
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government will actively engage in marketingoverseas including the United States and the EU at administrative levels.
 
Article 5. 284th Special Meeting Session of Gyeonggi Provincial Council(140204-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The 284th Special Meeting Session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council began on February 4th. The meeting agenda includesthe deliberation of bills pertaining to the current public welfareissuesput forward by the provincial government.
[Report]
1) 284th Gyeonggi Provincial CouncilSpecial Meeting Session
The special meeting session isscheduled for ten days until February 13th.
2) More than 40 Items on Agenda
During the meetings, more than forty items will be subject to deliberation including drafts for ordinances on:City Gas Charge Discounts for Social Welfare Facilities;Urban-Rural Exchanges Promotion Support;and theRecognition of Education Rights of Children of SingleParentsby the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.
There are also three bills for which reconsiderationhas been requested by the provincial government.These includethe ordinances on Economic Democratization Support, Livelihood-based Wages, and theManagement of Records of Activists againstPublic Good.
3) Ordinance on Behavioral Principles of Council Members
Also discussed during the special meeting session is the draft for the ordinance on the Behavioral Principles of Council Members, which has been promised to be put before the council by the council chairman after three years of waiting.
4) Gyeonggi Provincial Council Chairman Kim Gyeong-ho
“Last year, emphasis wasplaced on devising ways by which to resolve the provincial financial crisis and mitigate conflicts through communication.”
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government hopes that the pending drafts will be dealt with effectively by the council, since they are important for adapting to changes that are expected when the new administration is formed four months from now.
 
Article 6. Factory Expansion Allowedin Development Restriction Zone(140205-3)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The expansion of industrial facilities in development restriction zones in Gyeonggi Provinceis expected to become easier since related legislation was passedby the Korean National Assemblylast month.
[Report]
This electronic parts manufacturing company in Hwaseong (화성) City of Gyeonggi Province has canvas structures instead of normal buildings due to restrictions on industrial facility expansion in development restriction zones, or Green Belts.
1) Ahn Byeong-cheol / CEO of Daejin Chemicals
“We have filed applications for a factory expansion permits again and again for the past twenty years in vain. We have been having difficulties in expanding production.”
2) Factory Expansion in Green Belts Becomes Easier
However, the recent passing of the amendment of the related enforcement ordinance will allow plants already existing in the Green Belts to expand their facilities more easily.
CG)
According to the new legislation, which simplifies approval procedures, factories already existing in Green Belts can now obtain approval for the expansion of their facilities in just two months.
3) 70 Industrial Plants to Benefit
More than seventy industrial plants in Green Belts,including those of the Kia Motor Company,will benefit from this new legislation.
4) Kim Tae-jeong / Director, Gyeonggi Province Regional Policy Division
“Construction of new production facilities will take much less time, which will lead to more factories, more investment and more employment, which in turn will have positive effects on the provincial economy.”
Having more than 35 percent of the nation’s development restriction zones, Gyeonggi Province plans to urge the Korean Government and the National Assembly to take measures to mitigate other restrictions to maximize the effects of the current legal amendment.
 
Article7. Post-treatment Activities of Foreign Medical Tourists(140206-1)
[Anchor’s Headline]
The Gyeonggi Research Institute recently conducted a survey of foreign medical tourists and found that shopping is higheston their agenda after the completion of their treatments.
[Report]
1) Medical Tourism Development Study by Korea Research Institute
Foreign patients at 150 medical institutes as well as fifty medical tour operators in Gyeonggi Province were asked what foreign medical tourists prefer to do most in Korea other than receive treatments.
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The results of the survey revealed that shopping is what foreign patients want to do most after their treatments, followed by visits to cultural performances, historical monuments and saunas.
2) [Pip]Chwan / Thai Tourist
“I watched many Korea dramas. I was impressed by the good-looking actors and actresses and I want to see them.”
3) Gyeonggi Institute Urges Tour Package Development for Medical Tourists
The Gyeonggi Research Institute also found that the development of tour packages especially formulated to meet the demand of medical tourists is necessary.
4) [INTERVIEW] Lee Soo-jin / Researcher, Gyeonggi Research Institute
“We found that we need to develop more localized tour packages, or tourism clustersas we call them, for foreign medical tourists to visit after their treatments. Also, there is a need for the formation of a network of tour organizations.”
CG)
Since the amendment of the Medical Law in 2009, the number of overseas medical tourists has been increasing annuallyby 37.3 percent and the corresponding medical revenue by 63.5 percent, amounting to more than KRW 200 billion a year.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government will use the survey results for the improvement of foreign medical tourism promotion policies.