President Lee Hosts 10th Town Hall Meeting
"Regions Must Find Their Own Paths to Self-Sufficiency"
Hyundai Motor Group Announces 9 Trillion Won Investment Plan for 'Saemangeum Robot, Hydrogen, and AI City'
Calls for Realistic Adjustment of the 'Saemangeum Development' Project Ongoing for Decades
President Lee Jaemyung emphasized that balanced regional development is not a matter of charity or consideration, but rather a national survival strategy, expressing his commitment to supporting North Jeolla Province, which is experiencing what he called "triple marginalization." In particular, he publicly raised the need to fundamentally reassess the entire land reclamation-centric development approach of the Saemangeum project, which has been stalled for decades.
In his opening remarks at the town hall meeting held on the 27th at the Jeonbuk National University International Convention Center, President Lee stated, "In the past, the concentration of resources in the Seoul metropolitan area may have contributed to national development, but now it acts as an obstacle rather than a help. The nation is at risk of decline, and it has become a core government task for regions to find their own paths to self-sufficiency." He added, "I believe that balanced regional development is not charity or consideration, but rather a national survival strategy." This event marked the 10th regional town hall meeting since President Lee’s inauguration.
President Lee also addressed the sense of relative deprivation felt in North Jeolla Province. He noted that regional areas have been discriminated against due to the concentration in the capital area, that within the broader Yeongnam-Honam divide, Honam has been marginalized, and, furthermore, that even within Honam, North Jeolla Province has been left out-a perception of "triple marginalization" that has spread throughout the local community. President Lee acknowledged, “That is not an incorrect observation,” pointing out that North Jeolla Province lacks a strong industrial base and does not have a metropolitan city, and said that this sense of exclusion "is not without grounds."
He went on to introduce Hyundai Motor Group’s decision to invest in building advanced industrial infrastructure in the Saemangeum area of North Jeolla Province, including establishing an artificial intelligence (AI) data center and constructing a robot manufacturing plant. Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest 9 trillion won in Saemangeum to simultaneously pursue five projects: robot manufacturing, an AI data center, hydrogen production, and renewable energy generation. President Lee attended the 'Saemangeum Robot, Hydrogen, and AI City Investment Agreement Ceremony' held at the Saemangeum Convention Center in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province on the morning of the same day, stating, "This investment will completely transform the economic landscape of the entire Honam region."
In his opening remarks, he also highlighted his "special connection" with North Jeolla Province. President Lee referred to the Donghak Peasant Revolution, which originated and spread largely from North Jeolla, and explained that the Donghak philosophy-"People are Heaven"-aligns with his own national vision of "a country where the people are the owners, and everyone lives together." He emphasized North Jeolla Province as the birthplace of Donghak, stating, "Let’s realize the value of a Korea where everyone coexists, starting right here in North Jeolla."
President Lee also discussed the challenges surrounding the Saemangeum development project. He remarked, "Hasn’t this been ongoing for over thirty years?" highlighting the prolonged nature of the project, and pointed out that no one can guarantee how much longer it will take to complete. He questioned whether it is still efficient to continue land reclamation as planned in order to create farmland and industrial sites, asking, "Do we really have to create land to install solar panels? Isn’t floating solar power also an option?" This reflects his view that plans should be adjusted realistically to keep pace with changing times.
President Lee further commented, "Politicians often push ahead with projects that are either impractical or inefficient due to political considerations," and insisted that the Saemangeum project should be reevaluated based on economic feasibility and effectiveness, not political slogans. He suggested that if another approach proves to be more efficient, a bold shift should be made.
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