[Full Inaugural Address] Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province

Gyeonggi Province, the ‘Opportunity Capital’ of the Republic of Korea, will start by breaking the three major vested interests.

July 1st was the first day of the governor’s inauguration.

The inauguration ceremony was inevitably canceled, and I spent the entire day inspecting flood damage and discussing recovery measures.

From now on, we will prioritize the safety of our residents and thoroughly prepare for and respond to all kinds of disasters.

Dear beloved and respected residents of Gyeonggi Province!

When I ran for governor of Gyeonggi Province, I promised to make Gyeonggi the center of change in the Republic of Korea.

Future preparedness, livelihood stability, peaceful coexistence, balanced development, political change. I pledged to start and succeed in these five changes first in Gyeonggi Province.

To fulfill this promise, I compiled the activities of the transition committee and presented to the residents on the day before the inauguration the ‘3 Major Visions, 11 Major Strategies, and 120 Policy Tasks’ established under the three goals of ‘More Opportunities, Fairer Opportunities, and Better Opportunities.’

That’s right!

The future image of Gyeonggi that we envision together is ultimately to become the ‘Opportunity Capital’ of the Republic of Korea.

You may have heard of economic capital, administrative capital, or educational capital, but ‘Opportunity Capital’ is probably new to you.

All problems in our lives are directly connected to having more opportunities, fairer opportunities, and better opportunities.

If Gyeonggi becomes the ‘Opportunity Capital,’ it will bring revolutionary changes in all sectors including economy, education, welfare, culture, and administration.

When that happens, opportunities to work, do business, start companies, study, love, and marry will overflow.

When such changes filled with opportunities occur in Gyeonggi, a small Korea, the winds of change toward the future and prosperity will sweep across the entire Republic of Korea.

Dear residents!

However, this ‘Opportunity Capital’ of the Republic of Korea will not be created by slogans or rosy blueprints alone.

Opportunity is the opposite of vested interests. More opportunities and fairer opportunities are only possible when vested interests are relinquished.

Making Gyeonggi the ‘Opportunity Capital’ of Korea must start with breaking the vested interests of myself and the public officials at the provincial government.

I will start first. I will relinquish the privileges and vested interests of the governor.

I will lead by example. I have already stated that I will not move into the governor’s official residence and will use it as a communication space with residents.

Except for external events, I will use the staff cafeteria and work alongside employees. Except for special matters such as disasters, I will minimize reports and orders outside working hours.

Next, breaking the regulatory cartel is necessary.

Many administrative processes are already conducted in favor of companies or groups that have entered the market. The frameworks created this way accumulate and become regulations that block new entries.

While regulatory reforms at the central government level are needed, there are also unnecessary regulations in various permits and approvals handled by Gyeonggi Province. We must eliminate various ordinances, customs, and self-protective attitudes that block market entry for startups, small and medium ventures, and ambitious youth, or promote unfair trade.

Finally, breaking bureaucratic vested interests is necessary.

Employees who do tomorrow’s work today should be properly evaluated to eliminate complacency.

Active administration that tolerates breaking the plate while working is better than letting dust settle on the plate by not working. Let’s eliminate unnecessary tasks, procedures, and customs.

We must also break organizational self-protectionism. In the era of convergence and fusion, many jobs disappear and many new jobs emerge. In line with this trend, we must increase necessary organizations and reduce those with no work to respond quickly to the changing environment.

Dear residents!

Thinking about making Gyeonggi the ‘Opportunity Capital’ makes my heart race and fills me with excitement, but it is by no means an easy task.

That is why I am more desperate and earnest. Even if a difficult process awaits, I will never back down.

I will move forward looking only at the residents. I will make the will of the residents the compass of Gyeonggi’s administration.

I will listen again and again to the precious voices of each resident. I promise that many residents will be able to meet the governor more often in every corner of their daily lives.

And if it is for the happiness of residents and the development of Gyeonggi Province, I will meet anyone at any time beyond party lines. Not only the Gyeonggi Provincial Council but also ministers of central government departments and the National Assembly?I will persuade and persuade again. I will go anywhere inside or outside the country.

Dear beloved and respected residents!

The Republic of Korea’s ‘Opportunity Capital,’ Gyeonggi, now begins.

Together with the great residents, we will surely make it happen.

I will do my best to be remembered as the governor who drenched every corner of Gyeonggi Province with sweat to make it the ‘Opportunity Capital.’

Thank you.

July 4, 2022

Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Kim Dong-yeon