Governor Kim Youngrok Urges President Lee Jaemyung to Expand Support for Local Rivers

Attended the First Safety and Security Inspection Meeting on the 5th
Appealed Over Massive Budget Needed for Flood Maintenance
Requested "Direct Management and Support by the State"

Jeollanamdo Governor Kim Youngrok attended the central government's "Safety and Security Inspection Video Conference" on the afternoon of the 5th at the Nacheol Room of the Eastern Regional Headquarters of Jeonnam Provincial Office, proposing local issues of Jeonnam to President Lee Jae-myung. Photo by Jeonnam Province

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanamdo, attended the first "Safety and Security Inspection Meeting" presided over by President Lee Jaemyung on the 5th, where he strongly requested an expansion of national support for local rivers.

This meeting was the first nationwide safety and security inspection meeting chaired by President Lee since taking office. Central government ministries and governors of all 17 metropolitan cities and provinces participated via video conference to review safety policies and discuss ways to cooperate.

In his opening remarks, President Lee stated, "One of the most important reasons for the existence of the nation is to protect the lives and safety of its people," and explained the purpose of the meeting by saying, "We have organized this gathering to thoroughly inspect so that predictable accidents or incidents do not actually occur."

At the meeting, Governor Kim Youngrok said, "Large-scale flood damage is concentrated in drainage impact zones where national rivers and local rivers meet. However, maintenance of local rivers requires enormous budgets, resulting in a very low maintenance rate." He proposed to the President, "The 21 local rivers that meet the criteria for national rivers should be upgraded to national rivers, and 76 local rivers should be designated as national river drainage impact zones so that the state can directly manage and support them."

Jeollanamdo plans to use this meeting as an opportunity to more actively promote safety policies closely related to residents' daily lives?such as responding to the climate crisis, strengthening safety for the elderly, and improving disaster management systems in rural and fishing communities?in line with the President's philosophy of governance.