Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam: "Key Issues of Gyeongnam as National Policy Agenda for the New Administration"... All-Out Effort to Reflect Strategic Tasks

Gyeongnam Province has been moving busily day after day to ensure that its key local issues are incorporated into the new administration's national policy agenda.

On July 8, Governor Park Wansu visited both the National Policy Planning Committee and the National Assembly, meeting with Lee Hanju, Chairman of the National Policy Planning Committee, and Park Suhyun, Chairman of the National Balanced Development Special Committee. He requested that "Gyeongnam's current issues be included in the national policy agenda so that the province can drive Korea's economic growth."

Park Wansu, Governor of Gyeongnam Province (center), is handing over a booklet titled "Proposal for Adoption of President Lee Jae-myung's Key Pledges Projects in Gyeongnam Region," which contains local issues and core tasks, to Lee Hanju, Chairman of the National Policy Planning Committee (left), and Park Suhyun, Chairman of the National Balanced Development Special Committee. Provided by Gyeongnam Province

Governor Park introduced Gyeongnam as "the center of national new growth industries such as aerospace, defense, energy, and smart manufacturing," and focused on proposing key local issues and core tasks.

He proposed the following as national policy agenda items for the new administration: ▲ Construction of an aerospace complex city ▲ Expansion of the free economic zone ▲ Establishment of a defense parts research institute ▲ Creation of a national industrial complex for defense and nuclear fusion in Changwon ▲ Establishment of a manufacturing AI innovation valley ▲ Construction of a high-speed railway network from East Daegu to Changwon ▲ Upgrade of the Geogadaero to an expressway ▲ Enactment of a special law for the development of the southern coastal region ▲ Establishment of a law school.

In response, Chairman Lee Hanju said, "The industrial strategies and policy directions proposed by Gyeongnam are highly meaningful," adding, "We will discuss them thoroughly within the National Policy Planning Committee."

Heo Seongmu (from the far left), Park Wansu, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, and Assemblymen Min Hongcheol and Kim Jeongho are taking a commemorative photo after concluding a meeting on major projects and budgets of Gyeongnam Province with Democratic Party local assembly members. Provided by Gyeongnam Province

Later that afternoon, Governor Park visited the National Assembly to meet with both ruling and opposition lawmakers representing Gyeongnam constituencies, where he requested bipartisan cooperation on major local issues and national funding projects, and exchanged related opinions.

First, at a meeting with Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Jeongho, Min Hongcheol, and Heo Seongmu, Governor Park emphasized the need to "create a foundation for Gyeongnam to become a global logistics hub by integrating logistics, passenger, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) industries centered around Gimhae and Changwon in connection with the new Gadeokdo Airport."

He also explained the need for the prompt designation of the Changwon defense and nuclear fusion national industrial complex and improvement of the preliminary feasibility study system, and called for active interest in nurturing regionally specialized industries such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and relocating public institutions.

Sangwoong Park (far left), Iljun Seo, Seongbeom Shin, Taeho Kim, Gyeongnam Governor Wansu Park, Daechul Park, Chungho Seo, Jongwook Lee, Jongyang Kim, and Youngseok Yoon are taking a commemorative photo after finishing a meeting on major Gyeongnam projects and budgets with People Power Party constituency lawmakers. Provided by Gyeongnam Province

He also sought cooperation and support during a meeting with People Power Party lawmakers Kim Jongyang, Kim Taeho, Park Daechul, Park Sangwoong, Seo Iljun, Seo Chungho, Shin Seongbeom, Yoon Youngseok, and Lee Jongwook.

Governor Park explained major national funding projects, including the construction of the National Road No. 5 between Geoje and Masan, the establishment of a ship MRO cluster, the creation of an SMR manufacturing parts testing and inspection support center, the establishment of the National Southern Wildfire Prevention Center, the formation of an oyster-specialized fisheries food cluster, and the construction of an expressway between Busan New Port and Gimhae, urging for active support.

Previously, Gyeongnam Province had also attended a city and provincial meeting hosted by the National Balanced Development Special Committee under the National Policy Planning Committee, and met with constituency lawmakers and party provincial committee chairpersons.

Going forward, the province plans to continue visiting government ministries and the National Assembly to ensure that Gyeongnam's strategic tasks are reflected in the new administration's national policy agenda through all-out efforts.