Regional Pledges Announced via Social Media
Energy Policy: "Nuclear Power Should Decrease as Alternative Energy Grows"
Lee Jae Myung, former leader and preliminary presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, announced on April 23 his plan to develop Gangwon Province and Jeju Island into global tourism hubs.
On this day, Lee unveiled his regional pledges through social media. Referring to the coal industry in Gangwon Province, he stated, "Gangwon has made significant sacrifices for the national community. Now, the nation must provide appropriate and special compensation for those sacrifices." He also said, "I will foster the East Sea area of Gangwon as a strategic base for the Pan-East Sea economic zone, leading northern trade," and added, "I will promote floating offshore wind power and hydrogen energy industries to make Gangwon a center of the energy transition."
Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential primary candidate, is speaking at an on-site meeting held at the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in Yuseong District, Daejeon on April 17, 2025. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Regarding Chuncheon, Wonju, and Gangneung, he stated, "I will nurture advanced medical convergence industries based on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, and strengthen the future mobility competitiveness of Hoengseong, Wonju, and Yeongwol." He also announced plans to finalize the third amendment to the Gangwon Special Act, which expands the authority and autonomy of Gangwon Province.
He pledged the timely completion of the East-West High-Speed Railway and the Donghae Bukbu Line, support for extending the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX)-B Line to Chuncheon, and promotion of connecting the GTX-D Line to Wonju. However, there was no mention of North Korea or other issues that were previously linked to Gangwon Province’s development strategies.
In his pledges for Jeju, he presented the vision of making Jeju a "carbon-neutral leading city by 2035." Lee promised to make Jeju an experimental base for new energy technologies by utilizing offshore wind power, solar power, green hydrogen, and energy storage technologies across electricity, housing, and transportation.
He also pledged to strengthen digital infrastructure so that Jeju could serve as a place where people can stay and work using shared offices and other facilities. He proposed supporting the establishment of sports training centers and multipurpose sports infrastructure that meet international standards, as well as fostering the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry.
Meanwhile, Yoon Hu Deok, a Democratic Party lawmaker who serves as the head of Lee Jae Myung’s policy headquarters, commented on energy policy, stating, "Energy must be secured in reality for daily life to be possible," and added, "While managing the proportion of nuclear energy well, the share of alternative energy should gradually increase, and nuclear energy should be reduced accordingly."
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