1. [Discount for Express Bus]

Now a transfer discount applies to express buses going between Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The express bus now has an especially greater number of passengers, helping reduce transportation costs.

There are nearly 220,000 commuters that travel between Gyeonggi Province and Seoul by express bus.

1) s- Nearly 220,000 people use express bus between Gyeonggi – Seoul

In the past a transfer discount did not apply, but now even the once costly express bus will be included in the transfer discount system.

2) s- Express bus transfer discount applied

With the expansion of the metropolitan unified transfer discount system Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Kim Mun-su wanted to see for himself what kind of transfer discount he would get using public transportation.

3) s- Provincial Governor, experiences an express bus transfer

Provincial Governor Kim took an express bus and checked the transfer discount when he transferred to a city bus and the subway, he also met with other travellers and helped promote the newly improved unified fare system.

4)
{Even after transferring twice between the buses and subway the total fare was only 1700 won. Before it would have come out to 3100 won, looks like I saved 1400 today.}

Travellers on the express bus were satisfied with the new system.

5) male
{I think its good for students who are of reduced means since they can save money.}

6) female
{With the inception of the unified fare system the burden of using the bus has been greatly reduced.}

Gyeonggi Province has planned various adjustments for the effective execution of the unified fare system including moving some express buses concentrated in Gwanghwamun to Jamsil and Gangnam.

2. [Greenbelt Rezoning]

The government has recently added a plan to rezone a greenbelt region. Both Gyeonggi Province and local autonomies welcomed the move, but insisted on additional inspections.

At present there are nearly 1180 square kilometers of greenbelt across 21 cities and counties in the province making up 12% of the total area in Gyeonggi.

1)s-Greenbelt makes up 12% of total area in Gyeonggi

Local autonomies, taking seriously the government regulations to rezone the greenbelt, have initially taken a proactive stance.

2)
(90% of the whole city are development restricted areas making the new move by the government a much welcomed move.)

However, there are many who do not wish to see the greenbelt developed just for housing.

3)
(On the one hand I feel that residents should not be inconvenienced by the rezoning of the greenbelt by the government, on the other hand I feel that rezoning the city for the self-sufficiency of the city is much desired.)

Gyeonggi Province\’s rezoning will allow for colleges, factories, and other facilities including homes to be built and takes a stance which will achieve the management of planned development.

4)s-Management of Planned Development Required

3. [Publishing, Libraries Supported]

These days it is becoming more and more difficult to find passengers on the subway or buses reading books. A survey has shown that 24% of Korean adults do not read even one book a year. In time for the reading season Gyeonggi Province plans to strengthen the competitive edge of the publishing world and libraries.

This is the Paju Publishing Complex located in Paju, Gyeonggi.

1) s- Gyeonggi Paju Publishing Complex

At present 250 publishing related companies have moved in employing about 8,000 people.

2) s- About 250 publishing companies have moved in

From now on jobs created for women are also expected to increase.

Gyeonggi Province concluded an agreement along with a conference of companies that have moved into the publishing city for women to attain employment within the publishing city.

3) s- Signing ceremony to promote women\’s job education / Paju Asia Publishing Culture and Information Center (9/16)

According to the agreement, two agencies agreed to select hopeful trainees, and after completing the required customized education in the publishing industry, would help with job placement.

4) s- Education of Hopeful trainees, Support for Job Placement

Gyeonggi Province has a plan to concentrate on building 160 public libraries and 120 small libraries by 2010, and will increase the number of reading desks as part of boosting the library infrastructure in the province.

5) s- Gyeonggi Province focused on boosting library infrastructure

With the oncoming reading season many will make there way to the library, however, books, which are being replaced by various other multimedia, are becoming more unfamiliar.

The spotlight will be on Gyeonggi Province to see if it can bring to fruition its plans to strengthen its capacity to create jobs in the publishing world, boost library infrastructure, and knowledge and information services.

4. [Charging on the Bus](Weekly number 6)

There is something that can only be found on Gyeonggi Buses. It\’s the transit card automatic charger. Several have been installed making it the first time in Korea that chargers have been installed on buses for residents who live in areas lacking bus card chargers.

The service has commenced with 1400 transit card chargers being installed in 13 cities and counties in the province including Hwaseong and Icheon.

1)s-Automatic transit card charger service commenced

The charger itself has been installed on the interior of the bus to the right of the exit, and if you place your card in the charger, and insert one 10,000 won bill the card immediately starts to charge.

The whole process is explained by a voice recording making it easy for anyone to operate, and cash receipts can even be obtained.

2)s-Cash receipts can be obtained

The regions where automatic chargers have been set up include places lacking transit card charging stations, previously a major inconvenience for residents.

3)Interview: Lee Ju-hee (Dongtan-myeon, Hwaseong)
{It\’s good that there is a charger on the bus since I don\’t have to go anywhere else to charge up.}

Gyeonggi Province will analyze the effects of the chargers installed and has plans to install more if the response is good.

5. [Night Instruction Limitations]

From now on the operating hours of academies will be controlled. A law was enacted to prevent indiscreet classes that run until late.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Council Board of Education passed a law dealing with the establishment and management of academies, including private tutoring.

1)s-Gyeonggi Provincial Council Board of Education: enacted a law regarding the establishment and management of academies including private tutoring

Until now there were no controls over the hours of operation for academies where classes would run late past midnight.

However, with the newly enacted law, preschool and elementary school students are to be kept in class no later than 10 o\’clock, middle school students no later than 11 o\’clock, and high school students no later than 12 o\’clock.

(*Content of class time enactment*
preschool, elementary school students -10pm
middle school students -11pm
high school students -12am)

2)
(The bill was ratified in 2006 allowing for restrictions to be put in place at the city and provincial level. After gathering the opinions of parents, students and others the proper time adjustments were made to accommodate each age group.)

This law will go into effect starting next month.

6. [\’Good\’ Evaluation for Management]

Gyeonggi Province received a high score in the 2008 national local autonomy management evaluation. During the 4th popular election there was a good response in regards to the many works done.

Gyeonggi Province won awards from the national local autonomy management evaluation in two categories, the very best leader in management reform and one for a good place to do business.

1)s-Awarded \’Best Leader in Management Reform\’ (Provincial Governor Kim Mun-su), \’A Good Place to do Business\’

Firstly, in the best leader in management reform category provincial governor Kim Mun-su received a good evaluation thanks to succeeding in attracting $10 billion in foreign investment, and systematically improving the transportation service through the metropolitan unified fare system.

2)s- Positive evaluation for attracting foreign investment, and for the metropolitan unified fare system

In the good place to do business category approval for industrial complexes were simplified and the development of tailored business processing systems received high marks.

3)s- High marks for Business SOS

Especially in case of business SOS, the new plan presented an online business combined processing system has been built, and new responsible human resources growing in number are gaining much attention.

4)s- New plan presented for business SOS

The path that has been traversed the past 2 years for residents comfortable living, and as a place that is good for doing business resulting in favorable reviews.

7. [Geumhak River Manmade Wetlands Created]

Geumhak River is a small river which flows through the heart of Yongin, but is the biggest cause for pollution in the Paldang Lake, and is a tributary from the Gyeongan River.

Manmade wetlands are being created in the area of the Geumhak River in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

Geumhak River is the most polluted of tributaries flowing into the Gyeongan River.

This project, which would turn about 2700 square meters of the Geumhak River area into wetlands, is being jointly sponsored by Gyeonggi Province and Shinsegae Group.

1) s- Geumhak River, manmade wetlands to be constructed

2) sync: Kim Mun-su, Gyeonggi Provincial Governor
{Residents and companies have to participate together in order to make it the best in the world. We should have everyone from around the world come to Geumha River in Yongin, watch and learn.}

Nearly $877,000 was invested in the project to construct manmade wetlands.

The cost of the project was included in the Paldang source water quality improvement last June with Shinsegae concluding an agreement with Gyeonggi Province to invest in the wetlands.

3) s- Shinsegae invests $877,000 in manmade wetlands project

Shinsegae, which is already participating in the Gyeongan river ecology park development project plans to invest $6,143,000 over the next 4 years.

The changes in the Geumha River is expected to make it newly reborn as a place for residents to relax and learn, not to mention improve the quality of drinking water from the Paldang Lake for the 23 million in the metropolitan area.