Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon called on public officials to ensure a stable launch of the ninth elected provincial administration and to strengthen measures for public welfare and safety, speaking at the final senior officials' meeting of his eighth-term administration.
"The four years of the eighth elected administration have been a valuable time proving that 'when Gyeonggi changes, Korea changes,'" Kim said at the major provincial officials meeting held at the Gyeonggi provincial government complex Wednesday. "Based on the achievements we have accumulated, please prepare thoroughly for the leap forward of the new ninth elected administration."
"The protagonists of change are you, the public officials of Gyeonggi Province," Kim said, encouraging staff. "With exceptional responsibility, creativity, and passion, you have transformed the lives of 14.2 million provincial residents." He added, "Please establish an active support system so that the vision, policies, and pledges of the new ninth-term governor-elect can be smoothly implemented from the beginning of the term," and emphasized, "Please complete a beautiful baton pass so that the fruits of the eighth elected administration can lead to the leap forward of the ninth."
The meeting's main agenda items included the status of emergency economic response to the Middle East crisis, summer disaster and safety management measures, and preparation plans for the launch of the ninth elected administration.
Gyeonggi Province has been operating a task force for the Middle East war response since March, working to minimize the economic shock from high oil prices and rising raw material costs. The province is monitoring price trends for textiles, delivery packaging containers, construction materials, and agricultural supplies, while requesting cooperation from related agencies to reflect price fluctuations in costs for public construction projects. It is also easing the burden on the construction industry through contract amount adjustments and prioritizing progress payments.
For bus companies struggling with rising fuel costs, the province is pursuing indirect financial support such as advance disbursement of subsidies, and operates a public-private joint integrated support center for export difficulties to assist businesses. The logistics cost support limit for export-oriented small and medium enterprises has been expanded to 7 million won from the previous 5 million won, and 60 billion won in special management funds is being provided to import-export companies entering the Middle East.
Public welfare stabilization measures will also continue. Gyeonggi Province is maintaining a freeze on local public utility rates while supporting purchases of tax-free fuel for agriculture and fisheries and inorganic fertilizers to ease price burdens.
Administrative resources are also being concentrated on summer disaster response. Since February, the province has operated a joint disaster prevention task force with cities, counties, and the private sector, completing safety inspections of approximately 54,000 facilities across eight sectors. In preparation for heat waves, it plans to operate a joint task force and strengthen public awareness of safety measures using apartment media boards and G-Bus TV.
The province has also completed inspections of 8,769 cooling shelters and plans to promote climate insurance for residents affected by climate disasters and manage insurance payments. To prevent water-related safety accidents, it is preemptively pursuing summer safety measures, including increasing the number of safety management personnel to 400 this year from 302 last year.
"Protecting the lives and safety of residents is more important than anything else," Kim said, repeatedly calling for unwavering provincial administration until the launch of the ninth elected administration.
