Yoon: "Jeju New Port as a Logistics and Cruise Hub... Close Cooperation on Jeju 2nd Airport"

"Sky Taxi" UAM Pilot Operation Zone Designated
Support for Prompt Designation of Tertiary General Hospitals

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 29th "Public Livelihood Discussion with the People" held on the 15th at the Jeju International Free City Development Center in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, under the theme "A Clean Island Open to the World, Global Resort City Jeju." [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 15th, "We will actively cooperate with Jeju Province to ensure the smooth progress of the construction of Jeju New Port, and meticulously oversee related procedures such as the preliminary feasibility study in the future to develop Jeju New Port into a hub port for maritime logistics and cruises." He also emphasized, regarding the construction of Jeju's second airport, "We will closely cooperate with Jeju Province."

On the afternoon of the 15th, President Yoon held the 29th public discussion forum titled "Jeju, a Clean Island Open to the World, a Global Resort City" at the Jeju International Free City Development Center (JDC) located in Jeju Province. This forum was held one month after the September Gwangju public discussion forum.

Starting with the remark, "Every time I come to Jeju, I think of it as a treasure," President Yoon said in his opening remarks, "Jeju has been able to develop into a world-class city thanks to the efforts of Jeju residents." He presented three visions to propel Jeju forward: ▲ Tourism development through 'connection and specialization' ▲ Industrial growth led by 'cleanliness and innovation' ▲ Improvement of residential living conditions focusing on 'substantial change.'

First, he plans to advance Jeju's tourism infrastructure through connection and specialization. President Yoon said, "We will designate Jeju as a pilot operation zone for Urban Air Mobility (UAM), or 'flying taxis,' and actively support its commercialization in tourism," adding, "To elevate the quality and level of Jeju tourism, which is rich in cultural and natural heritage such as haenyeo culture, dol hareubang, stone walls, and oreum, we must transform tourism into a humanities-based experience where visitors can learn about nature and culture with their children and enhance their intellectual sophistication."

He continued, "The government will support the preservation and transmission of Jeju haenyeo culture, which is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a UN Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System." The '4th Basic Plan for Fishing Villages and Ports Development,' a ten-year plan to be announced next year, will include measures for the preservation and development of haenyeo fisheries, and the construction of the National Tamna Cultural Heritage Research Center will also proceed without delay.

President Yoon emphasized, "We will actively support the innovation of Jeju's clean energy and clean industries so that Jeju can become an exemplary case of carbon-neutral energy transition," adding, "We will support the promotion of a distributed energy specialized area utilizing Jeju's abundant renewable energy infrastructure and also back innovations in clean energy such as hydrogen."

"560 billion KRW to be invested in green hydrogen demonstration projects by 2026"

He also said, "We will invest 56 billion KRW by 2026 in Jeju's large-scale green hydrogen demonstration project to secure green hydrogen production technology suited to Korea's circumstances," and added, "If Jeju applies to participate in the support project for installing clean hydrogen production facilities that produce hydrogen from biogas, we will actively consider it."

Jeju-specific pilot projects to recycle used batteries into agricultural machinery and energy storage systems (ESS) will also be actively promoted. By investing a total of 22.4 billion KRW by next year, the plan is to further develop related industries by supporting the development and diversification of lava seawater-related products such as functional beverages and cosmetics.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 29th "Public Livelihood Discussion with the People" held on the 15th at the Jeju International Free City Development Center in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, under the theme "Jeju, a Clean Island Open to the World, a Global Resort City."
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon mentioned that although medical demand in Jeju is increasing, there is no tertiary general hospital and the number of doctors is insufficient, resulting in a lack of regional medical infrastructure. He stated, "We are promoting medical reform to establish a 'regionally comprehensive essential medical system' capable of providing high-level and severe emergency care even in regions like Jeju."

He promised to actively review institutional improvements such as redefining medical service areas considering regional characteristics to ensure that a tertiary general hospital is promptly designated in Jeju, and to steadily support the expansion of functions at Jeju National University Hospital and Seogwipo Medical Center for severe patients and infectious disease response.

Furthermore, he emphasized that next year, budget will be generously provided for the expansion of sewage treatment plants and the maintenance of aging sewage pipelines, and 41.3 billion KRW will be invested by 2028 in the Jeju Resource Circulation Cluster project to establish a foundation for the recycling industry. Considering the difficulties of bearing higher logistics costs compared to the mainland, 25.8 billion KRW will be invested by 2026 to build a smart joint logistics center in the Ara 2-dong area of Jeju City. Support will also be extended to areas within Jeju's living zone such as Sangchuja Island and Hachuja Island, including the promotion of resident safety facilities, infrastructure, and improvements in the educational environment.

About 80 people attended the forum, including Jeju residents, businesspeople, researchers, parents, educators, haenyeo, and members of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Local Era Committee. From the government, Chairman Woo Dong-gi of the Local Era Committee and Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong participated; from the region, Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon attended; and from the Presidential Office, Policy Chief Sung Tae-yoon, Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Park Chun-seop, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Jang Sang-yoon, and Senior Secretary for Science and Technology Park Sang-wook were present.