Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon will visit Gwangju for a 1-night, 2-day trip from the 13th to the 14th. This is Governor Kim's 14th visit to Honam since taking office, and the second this year.
On the morning of the 13th, Governor Kim will give a special lecture titled "Honam Spirit and the Pleasant Rebellion" at the Gwangju City Sanctification Movement Headquarters, then pay respects at the May 18 Democratic Cemetery to pledge to carry on the Gwangju spirit. From 12 PM, he will board the "Bus 518" from Geumnamno 5-ga Station to City Hall, engaging in conversations with citizens to reflect on the May 18 Gwangju spirit.
Following this, his first afternoon schedule includes meeting with Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung to discuss ways for mutual growth between Gyeonggi Province and Gwangju Metropolitan City.
In May 2023, Governor Kim met with Mayor Kang Ki-jung and agreed on eight tasks for mutual development between the two regions, including cooperation in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, joint promotion of youth and adolescent education and exchange, and joint response to radioactive contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Since Governor Kim took office, Gyeonggi Province has signed mutual growth agreements with five metropolitan local governments: Chungnam, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, Gwangju, and Jeju.
After the meeting with Mayor Kang, from 2 PM, Governor Kim will meet with the bereaved families of the Jeju Air disaster at the LH Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Headquarters for a dialogue session.
Earlier this year, Governor Kim visited the joint memorial altar at Muan International Airport to mourn the victims and comfort representatives and families of the victims. This will be his second meeting with them.
On the first day of his visit to Gwangju, Governor Kim will participate in the "Roh Moo-hyun Road" walking event as his final schedule. There is an official trail called "Roh Moo-hyun Road" on Mudeungsan Mountain. In November 2011, Gwangju City named the 3.5 km section from Munbinjeongsa to Jangbuljae Trail on Mudeungsan as "Roh Moo-hyun Road," designating it as the eighth official trail.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (right) is shaking hands with Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung after signing a mutual development business agreement during his visit to Gwangju Metropolitan City in May 2023. Provided by Gyeonggi Province
Governor Kim will walk a 1 km section of this trail, remembering former President Roh Moo-hyun's politics of unity and coexistence, and communicate with the citizens of Gwangju who practice the organized power of awakened citizens.
On the second day of his visit, the 14th, Governor Kim will give a special lecture to members of the Gwangju Employers Federation.
He will then meet with Archbishop Ok Hyun-jin of the Simon Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju to seek wisdom for comforting and healing the wounds caused by the December 3 emergency martial law incident.
There is also a schedule to visit the Sosimdang (素心堂) "Jo Ara Memorial Hall" to pay tribute to the late Jo Ara.
Jo Ara participated in the Gwangju Independence Student Movement as a third-year student at Gwangju Sophia Girls' School and endured imprisonment. After liberation, she devoted herself to the YWCA movement. During the Gwangju Democratization Movement, she served as a member of the recovery countermeasures committee and was imprisoned for six months. She lived her life as a pioneer of women's, peace, human rights, and democratization movements and is called the "Mother of Gwangju."
Governor Kim will conclude his Gwangju schedule with a luncheon with officials from the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Gwangju Regional Committee and an appearance on KBC Gwangju Broadcasting (a local broadcast interview titled "Listening to Kim Dong-yeon").
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