Candidate Lee Jae-myung Promises 'Focused Development of International Energy Hub Port' and 'Establishment of Dedicated Marine Tourism Organization'
[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek] Joo Cheol-hyun, Member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Yeosu Gap), expressed his welcome, stating that "Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, visited the Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority in Jeonnam and promised support to develop Yeosu Gwangyang Port into a globally competitive port."
On the afternoon of the 27th, the second day of Lee Jae-myung’s visit to Gwangju and Jeonnam as part of the ‘Weekly People’s Bus (Maetabus)’, he visited the Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority with National Assembly members Kim Seung-nam, Joo Cheol-hyun, and Seo Dong-yong, and held a meeting with stakeholders from the port logistics and marine tourism industries to discuss plans to revitalize Yeosu Gwangyang Port.
At the meeting, candidate Lee emphasized, “For ports to be competitive, domestic ports must properly reflect regional characteristics and set directions to achieve global competitiveness.”
About 20 stakeholders from the Yeosu Gwangyang region’s port, logistics, and marine tourism sectors attended the meeting and proposed future visions including ▲ the establishment of a circular hydrogen sharing network, ▲ focused development of Yeosu Gwangyang Port as a Northeast Asia energy hub port, and ▲ the establishment of a dedicated marine tourism and leisure organization (Marine Tourism Promotion Corporation).
In response, candidate Lee positively evaluated the “circular hydrogen sharing network project” aligned with the ‘energy transition,’ stating that it is an eco-friendly new industry for the Yeosu Gwangyang Bay area, which urgently needs carbon neutrality due to the concentration of carbon-intensive industries such as steel and petrochemicals in the Gwangyang Bay area.
Furthermore, Lee said, “With the geographical advantage of being at the center of global trade routes connecting the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and proximity to Northeast China and Japan, the Gwangyang Bay area is the ‘optimal site for energy maritime transshipment’ competing with the Singapore oil hub,” promising to reflect this in national port logistics policies.
Additionally, the candidate stated, “Marine tourism accounts for over 50% of the global tourism market, but domestically, there are no laws or policy support institutions to systematically promote it, so I will include the establishment of a dedicated marine tourism and leisure organization, the ‘Marine Tourism Promotion Corporation,’ in my campaign pledges.”
He added, “Balanced development must be the foundation of the national economic strategy. Now, balanced development has become a national survival strategy,” and urged the industry’s efforts, saying, “I hope Gwangyang Port will grow as an energy hub port to foster the eastern Jeonnam region, including Gwangyang, as an energy base.”
Lee Jae-myung’s remarks on the future vision of Yeosu Gwangyang Port reflect a vision that Joo Cheol-hyun, who served as the Jeonnam Standing Director of Lee Jae-myung’s Open Camp during the party’s presidential primary, has continuously proposed in the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee since the 21st National Assembly began.
Assemblyman Joo Cheol-hyun said, “The role of Yeosu Gwangyang Port holds significant importance in creating a new marine era for Yeosu,” and added, “I will continue to play an active role from the presidential election process to realize the dream of a new marine era Yeosu.”
Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek simkt7@asiae.co.kr
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