EnglishNews | 2017.09.28
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1. Gyeonggi Province Develops Regulation Map [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province published a provincial map of regulations and distributed it to related public offices and the Korean National Assembly so as to promote the reformation of old regulations that are often irrational or excessively stringent. ►Packaging Material Manufacturer, Gwangju City This packaging material manufacturer is experiencing a lack of storage space. However, this company has been unable to expand its warehouse since it is located within a special water source protection area in which any industrial expansion is strictly prohibited. ►Kim Yeong-seon / CEO, Packaging Material Manufacturer “We would still be in difficulties even with support. However, with too many restrictions, we have had to give up hope. It is not the question of money or manpower availabilities.” ►Seoul-Gyeonggi Regions under Heavy Development Restrictions for 35 Years It has been 35 years since complex development regulations were imposed on Seoul and Gyeonggi regions for the sake of balanced national development. These excessive regulations have seriously limited industrial expansion in these areas. ►7 Localities in East Gyeonggi Suffer Most Industries in eastern Gyeonggi Province have been the most seriously affected by such restrictions. Gyeonggi Province’s publication of a regulation map is aimed at spreading awareness of the cumbersome regulations. ►Gyeonggi Province Regulation Map The map was distributed to Korean government offices, the national assembly and related institutes. ►Park Seong-gu / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Regulatory Reform Team “According to our survey of enterprises, investments amounting to KRW 2 trillion and 3,600 new job positions are being hindered by regional regulations.” Gyeonggi Province will continue to pursue regulatory reform through dialogue with the central government and the national assembly. Article 2. Gwangyo to Host Unleashed Dog Playground(170918-2) [Anchor’s Headline] With the number of dogs in Korea surpassing ten million and still increasing, Gyeonggi Province announced the establishment of dog playgrounds. In these dog parks, which are safely isolated from surrounding areas, dogs may be unleashed and run freely. ►Dog Playground in Gwangyo Lake Park In this dog playground in Suwon (수원) City, dogs enjoy strolling with their owners or running around happily free of their leashes. ►Lee Seung-yeon / Pet Dog Playground User “We appreciate having this separate space where we can let our dogs run freely without causing discomfort to those who dislike dogs.” In order to use a dog playground, owners are required to register their dogs in advance. ►GTV Reporter GuYeong-seul “Dog playgrounds are safe for local residents since only dogs with implanted chips or 15-digit registration numbers are admitted.” There are currently six dog playgrounds in Gyeonggi Province operated by local governments. ►Free Admission and Use of Equipment There is no admission fee for dog playgrounds, which are divided by fences into sections for different dog sizes, and equipped with water dispensers and play equipment. ►Gyeonggi to Establish 4 Dog Playgrounds Gyeonggi Province plans to establish 4 more dog playgrounds in the province. These facilities also provide bimonthly parasite examination services. ►Kim Seong-sik / Director, Gyeonggi Province Animal Quarantine Division “The dog playground projects serve a dual purpose for those who love dogs and those who don’t.” Gyeonggi Province will continue to establish more dog playgrounds to satisfy the needs of the increasing number of dog owners. Article3. Sewage Treatment Technology Developed in Gyeonggi Using Algae (170918-3) [Anchor’s Headline] A Gyeonggi provincial research institute announced the development of a new sewage treatment technology using algae. Compared to other oxygenation methods, this biological treatment method is environment-friendly, low cost, and generates extra income through the sale of mature algae. Typical sewage treatment tems use oxygen as an active purifying agent. Oxygen is supplied through electric pumps, a process that accounts for a large part of operation costs. ►Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health & Environment However, this new method, which was developed at the Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health & Environment, uses algae that generate oxygen through photosynthesis. ►Ju Dong-jin / Sewage Treatment Technology Recipient Enterprise “Oxygen generation typically accounts for 40 percent of the total electricity consumption in a sewage treatment plant. By using algae, this can be reduced by approximately half, contributing to operation cost reduction.” In this new tem, 11 kilograms of algae purifies 100 tons of sewage water daily. Mature algae can generate extra income when sold for other purposes. ►Technology Award from Patent Office The Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health & Environment received an award from the Korean patent office for this technology. ►Yun Mi-hye / Director, Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health & Environment “We will continue to develop environment-friendly technologies and transfer them to private enterprises while contributing to sewage treatment.” Since this low-energy, environment-friendly sewage treatment technology works more effectively in areas with large amounts of sunshine, Gyeonggi Province plans to export the technology to tropical regions. Article4. Wild Animal Incursions into Human Habitation Increase (170919-1) [Anchor’s Headline] Wild animals in Korea are more active during the period from early summer until autumn. Since May this year, there have been 23 percent more incursions by wild animals into human areas than during the same period last year. ►Hong Seong-jo / Yangpyeong County Resident Hong (홍성조) remembers how surprised he was to find a starving eagle-owl in front of his house several days ago. ►Hong Seong-jo / Wild Animal Founder & Reporter “I found it squatting beside the cultivator without moving. When I had someone grab it, it seemed too weak to move…” Recently there have been more wild animal encounters reported in Gyeonggi Province. [CG]The number of wild animals rescued by the Gyeonggi Wild Animal Rescue Center totaled more than 900 this year. [CG]The number of rescued wild animals was approximately half that of last year until April, supposedly due to the effect of bird flu, but now is increasing rapidly. Of these animals, endangered species and natural monuments account for one third. ►MunHyung-jun / Veterinarian, Wild Animal Rescue Center “It is because animal habitats have been reduced. This forces animals to leave their habitats and often suffer accidents.” The total number of wild animals rescued this year is expected to exceed that of last year. At the wild animal rescue center, these animals receive treatment and rehabilitation before being released. Article5. Gyeonggi Hosts International Forum on 4th Industrial Revolution(170920-1) [Anchor’s Headline] On September 20 and 21, Gyeonggi Province hosted an academic forum on the fourth industrial revolution. During the forum, future technological advancements and their effects on society were demonstrated. ►Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center Virtual reality was one of the fourth industrial revolution technologies featured at the forum through gaming devices and software. Such fourth industrial revolution technologies are already being applied to games, physical examinations and exercise, and even career recommendations. Their application is expanding in a range of areas, changing our lifestyles. ►Kim Ji-su / Bucheon City Resident “The concept of the fourth industrial revolution was difficult for me to grasp. However, I came to realize that these technologies will be essential in our lives five years and ten years from now.” ►‘2017 BIG Forum’ (September 20 & 21) Held in the Creative Economy Innovation Center for a 2-day run, this forum, titled 2017 BIG Forum, was organized jointly by Gyeonggi Province and Seoul National University; it featured Korean scholars as well as others from overseas. ►Use of Big Data for Social Problem Resolution In addition to virtual reality, big data was another primary subject discussed during the forum. Scholars discussed how big data can be used to resolve social issues. ►Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “(At this forum,) you will find that, although the fourth industrial revolution is a inevitability, there must be political and social fundamentals through which it can help people realize happiness.” This forum also featured accompanying programs including programming classes for youths and the matching of enterprises in featured technologies with potential investors. The BIG Forum was held at two venues: the Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center and the Startup Campus. Article6. Gyeonggi Operates Shuttle Buses for Foreign Tourists (170920-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province recently launched EG Shuttle Bus, a shuttle bus service for foreign tourists that connects Seoul with tourist destinations in the province. ►Herb Island, Pocheon City Herb Island in Pocheon (포천) City is on one of three tour courses served by EG Shuttle Bus. These services were jointly established by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization. ►[PiP]Jang Mung Ge / Chinese Tourist “This bus is very convenient since it circulates among several tourist destinations. It’s also economical.” ►3 Tour Courses between Seoul and Gyeonggi The three courses run between Insa-dong (인사동) in Seoul and southwest, northwest and northeast regions of Gyeonggi Province. [CG]The tour locations on Course A include Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave and Suwon Hwaseong (수원화성)Fortress, and Courses B and C include popular spots in other regions. ►Fares: USD 10 for Courses A and B, USD 30 for Course C After trial operations, the EG Shuttle Bus service was opened on routes that were determined to best serve the preferences of foreign tourists based on related data analyses. The fares are USD 10 for Course A and B, and USD 30 for Course C. ►Cha Gwang-hoi / Director, Gyeonggi Province Tourism Division “The number of foreign tourists has decreased since the Chinese ban on Korean tour this past March. We opened the EG Shuttle Bus service to help increase the number of foreign tourists while promoting tour locations.” Based on the results of EG Shuttle Bus operations, Gyeonggi Province plans to increase the number of tour courses and add buses with larger capacities. Article7. Free On-site Legal Consultation Services Launched in Gyeonggi (170920-3) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province has been providing free on-site legal consultation and education services to foreign residents and those unfamiliar with available legal tems. ►Suji Welfare Center for Disabled, Yongin City A Gyeonggi Province legal specialist visits a welfare center in Yongin (용인) City to provide resident social workers and the parents of children with disabilities with education on an adult guardian tem. This tem pertains to the appointment of guardians for adults with developmental disorders who are vulnerable to criminal exploitation. The class was followed by a question-and-answer session about related laws. ►Jeong Yeon-jin / Parent of Child with Developmental Disorder “It is not easy for me to attend an education program like this. Today, we were able to learn a lot from the specialist who visited our center.” ►Free Legal Education & Consultation Services These free legal education and consultation services are provided in all localities of the province to those in legal blind spots including individuals with disabilities, foreign residents and North Korean defectors. ►Park Gyewong-sun / Gyeonggi Province Legal Service Team Official “There are a large number of individuals in legal blind spots in Gyeonggi Province. We are providing on-site legal education and consultation services so as to illuminate such blind spots.” ►Free On-site Legal Education, Consultation and Support This year alone, Gyeonggi Province conducted legal education in 11 localities, including 300 legal consultation sessions, and litigation support in 160 cases. Gyeonggi Province will expand free legal services to protect the rights of residents who lack familiarity with legal tems. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.09.19
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week Article1. Gyeonggi Governor Attends 100th ‘Meet Governor’ (170911-1) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province’s ‘Meet the Governor’ program recently saw its 100th session. Introduced three years ago by Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil (남경필), this program has helped resolve more than 60 percent of the issues raised during the meetings. ►Yang Yeong-hun/ Gapyeong County Resident After his talk about the necessity for ordinances for food truck operations with Governor Nam at a ‘Meet the Governor’ session, Yang (양영훈) became a food truck operator. ►Yang Yeong-hun / Food Truck Operator “After the meeting with the governor, I was referred to the county mayor. When the ordinances were enacted, I was able to become one of the first food truck operators. I am grateful for that.” When faulty construction at an apartment complex in the province became an issue, ‘Meet the Governor’ was the channel through which requests for provincial inspections were made. This led to Gyeonggi Province’s initiative for the enactment of laws that prevent such practices. ‘Meet the Governor’ has been held at Public Service Offices in the cities of Suwon (수원) and Uijeongbu (의정부) on a weekly basis. ►Gyeonggi Province Public Service Office(September 8) 100th ‘Meet the Governor’ Over the past three years, ‘Meet the Governor’ has covered a wide range of issues. ►Kim Jae-jung / Gyeonggi Province Public Service Office User “It is an excellent program since it gives residents opportunities to talk about their complaints directly with the governor and to have their issues handled more actively.” [CG] To date, of a total of 488 complaints have been raised at ‘Meet the Governor’ sessions, and nearly sixty percent have been resolved. Gyeonggi Province plans to expand the areal coverage of the ‘Meet the Governor’ program. ►Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “People might have thought that my decision to meet residents on a regular basis would not last long. However, it has now reached a hundredth occasion. It will keep going.” Governor Nam’s regular meetings with residents has helped identify and resolve a large number of problems in the province Article 2. Gyeonggi Releases KRW 20 Billion for SME Financing during Chuseok(170911-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province announced the release of KRW 20 billion in special funds to help SMEs that face operational difficulties during the Chuseok holidays, a period when seasonal expenditures increase. ►Gift Manufacturing Enterprise, Suwon City Although this is a high production season for gift manufacturers, this company is experiencing financial difficulties due to excessive payables for purchased materials that have increased three-fold over the previous month. Creditors are demanding payments before Chuseok. ►Choi Min-ki / CEO, Gift Item Manufacturing Enterprise “Whenever big traditional holidays approach, there is a high financial risk due to increased expenditures. It is near impossible to borrow money since everyone is in a similar situation.” A large number of SMEs experience financial difficulties when Chuseok approaches. ►Gyeonggi to Release KRW 20 Billion as Financial Support for SMEs These special funds will be provided to such enterprises as operational financing support. Each benefiting enterprise will be provided with a short-term loan of up to KRW 500 million at low interest. ►Woo Byeong-bae / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Policy Funds Team “This loan will provide a great relief since it is available to enterprises that have exhausted other loan channels.” Last year, 65 enterprises benefited from Gyeonggi Province’s special Chuseok financing support. ►Applications: http://g-money.gg.go.kr/ Applications for Chuseok financing support are being received at Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation offices as well as via the SME Promotion Fund website until the end of October. Article 3. Autonomous Vehicle Operations to Begin in December(170912-2) [Anchor’s Headline] In December, Gyeonggi Province will see Korea’s first autonomous vehicle operations in the form of a 12-person shuttle bus. Based at Pangyo (판교) Station, this bus will run a 5.6-kilometer route through an urban center of Seongnam (성남) City, carrying passengers without a driver. ►Korea Transportation Authority A GTV reporter rode an autonomous vehicle during a test run. ►GTV Reporter GuYeong-seul “The vehicle I am riding now is a self-driving vehicle. I am in the driver’s seat, but can use my both hands doing other work while the car moves autonomously. An autonomous vehicle automatically changes lanes and alters direction when the driver touches a turn button. While the car is moving, the driver does not need to use the steering wheel or pedals. ►Autonomous Shuttle Bus to Begin Operations in Pangyo in December The autonomous shuttle bus is slated to start transportation services between Pangyo (판교) Station and Pangyo (판교) Zero City in three months. ►Lee Jong-don / Director, Gyeonggi Province Industrial Policy Division “An autonomous shuttle bus will operate between Pangyo Station and Pangyo Zero City. Its operation will serve as a model for future urban transportation tems.” The autonomous shuttle bus will operate on a trial basis. Its operation will be controlled semi-automatically through traffic monitoring from the control center. ►World’s Largest Experimental Autonomous Vehicle City Slated for Next Year With the primary operation of autonomous vehicle tems in Pangyo (판교) this year, the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to develop the world’s largest experimental autonomous vehicle city next year. In this city, self-driving vehicle tems will be tested in various operation environments for future improvements. ► [PiP] Min Gyeong-chan / Research Official, Korea Transportation Authority “With autonomous driving vehicle tem technologies being developed actively, we expect that the commercialization of self-driving cars will be realized by the year 2020.” By the year 2020, Gyeonggi Province will see the first autonomous driving vehicle transportation tems in Korea. Article 4. Gyeonggi Pursues Prevention of Faulty Apartment Construction Practices (170912-3) [Anchor’s Headline] Following widely reported conflicts between the occupants of an apartment complex in Hwaseong (화성) City and its constructor over construction quality, Gyeonggi Province initiated legislation to prevent faulty construction practices. ►Booyoung Apartment Complex, Hwaseong City Less than a year after the completion of this new apartment complex, dozens of complaints about building defects were lodged with the constructor by residents. However, the constructor failed to address the defects. ►Gyeonggi Pursues Legislation against Faulty Apartment Construction Gyeonggi Province’s pursuit of legislation is aimed at preventing such irresponsible construction practices. ►Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “When constructors lose public confidence, it puts the advance housing sale tem in jeopardy. Irresponsible construction practices threaten the quality of life and happiness of the people.” In order to protect the public from such malpractice, Gyeonggi Province proposed the amendment of a related lawto the central government that would prohibit advanced housing sales by irresponsible constructors so that construction quality is ensured before payment. The proposal has received positive responses from the central government as well as from the public. ►Kim Eun-ji (Alias) / Future Occupant of New Booyoung Apartment “We sincerely hope that many people will support this law so that its enactment will be realized and faulty contraction practices will be eliminated.” Gyeonggi Province has already finished special inspections of the ten apartment complexes that were built by this constructor and identified defects including water leakage in underground parking lots. ►Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “The chairman of the board of Booyoung Construction must publicly apologize. Then fundamental solutions must be sought.” This new law is already known as the Booyoung Law for the name of the company that constructed the defect-ridden apartment complex in Hwaseong (화성) City. Article 5. 322nd Gyeonggi Provincial AssemblyExtraordinary Session Ends(170913-1) [Anchor’s Headline] On September 12, the 322nd extraordinary session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly ended its 15-day run. The primary agenda of this session was the deliberation of the budget for a youth employment project. ►Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly (September 12) 4th General Meeting of 322ndExtraordinary Session This project consists of three sub-projects for youth employment that connect youths with positions in small and medium-sized enterprises. The budget for this project - titled Working Youth Series Project –is included in this year’s second revised supplementary budget for the province. ►Working Youth Series Projects Launch in January 2018 The project series will be implemented from January next year. ►Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “We will develop detailed programs in cooperation with the provincial assembly in order to ensure that the three sub-projects will be implemented from January 1 next year as scheduled.” The second revised supplementary budget amounts to KRW 19.4 trillion. Among the items discussed during the extraordinary session, an agreement on the semi-public operation of intercity buses was deferred to the next session. ►75 Items Passed during 4th General Meeting This extraordinary session saw the passage of 75 items on the final day. The general meeting was followed by 5-minute speeches by assembly members on various issues. ►Cho Jae-wook / Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Member “I ask the administration to develop practical regulatory reformation policies to relieve residents in source water protection areas from excessive regional regulations.” ►Cho Seung-hyeon / Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Member “I ask to for the continuous attention and cooperation of the governor for the establishment of indoor gymnasiums in schools by securing related budgets.” The next extraordinary session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly is slated to begin on October 17 for an 8-day run. Article 6.Local Autonomy Project Contest Held in Gyeonggi Province (170913-2) [Anchor’s Headline]Since 2014, Gyeonggi Province has been holding an annual local autonomy project contest with positive results. Winning projects have been granted support totaling KRW 40 billion annually. Some have already shown substantial progress. ►Chulleong Bridge in Gamak Mountain, Paju City This recently completed swaying bridge on a mountain in Paju (파주) City was one such contest-winning project. Spanning 150 meters between ridges over the valley, this bridge has already become a popular destination among local residents who enjoy crossing this swaying bridge. ►Cho In-mi, GwakJeong-ja / Visitor from Seoul “It was scary but fun at the same. My friends enjoyed it and had great fun, too.” This bridge project won fourth prize in the local autonomy project contest held in 2014. Within just one year of its opening, it has become a regular tourist destination in Paju (파주) City and attracted 750,000 visitors to date. ►Gwangmyeong Café, Gwangmyeong City Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave in Gwangmyeong (광명) City won KRW 10 billion won in the contest; it has also became a popular tourist destination, attracting 1.2 million visitors annually. ►Yun Yang-hyeong / Director General, Gwangmyeong City Citizens’ Happiness Bureau “Gwangmyeong Cave was included among 100 tourist destinations selected by the Korean government. We will develop diverse contents to promote the cave as a tourist destination of international caliber.” The Hwaseong (화성) City project that transformed a former US military firing range into a baseball ground for youths was also realized through the contest. To date, 32 local projects have succeeded in the contest and received provincial support totaling KRW 164 billion. ►Kim Seon-hwa / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Planning & Administration Budget Team “Local governments may have difficulties realizing large projects. This contest contributes to the local economy and job creation…” Titled Next Gyeonggi Creative Audition, this local autonomy project contest is helping local governments realize projects that would otherwise have been impossible due to financial limitations. Article 7. Fake Tea Producer Uncovered in Gyeonggi Province (170913-3) [Anchor’s Headline] A tea company that sold fake tea products made from hazardous materials was uncovered in Gyeonggi Province. This company used industrial materials that can cause damage to membranes in the human digestive tract to produce fake tea products, and deceptively sold them to housewives and seniors. ►Food Company, Anyang City In a food company in Anyang (안양) City, officers from the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police find large quantities of empty bottles as well as sacks of silicate that is used for industrial purposes. ►Industrial-purpose Silicate Used to Make Fake Tea This company mixed silicate with liquid tea to make fake tea products and sold them to unsuspecting consumers, touting health benefits. ►Kim Jong-gu / Super Intendent, Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police “This is a case in which the offender created fake tea using industrial silicate and sold the product as a cure-all.” ►Illegally Gained Profit of KRW 330 Million This company sold the products primarily to housewives and seniors, claiming the tea was a panacea. ►Strong Alkalinity with Health Risks According to the National Forensic Service, which performed tests, the tea products–instead of being a panacea – could cause membrane burns as well as diarrhea and stomach pains. The judicial police arrested six individuals including the president of the company and sent them to criminal prosecution for violation of the Food Hygiene Act. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.09.13
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1. Gyeonggi’s First Provincial College Student Dormitory Opens (170904-1) [Anchor’s Headline] The first publicly operated dormitory for college students opened at a former Seoul National University campus site in Suwon (수원) City.This dormitory was established by Gyeonggi Province for students with limited funds for accommodations. ► Former Seoul National University Dormitory ‘Sangroksa’ This site also was the dormitory site of the university. ► Ddabok Dormitory, Suwon City After it was closed and left unused for 14 years, the old dormitory was replaced by new five - story buildings with a total capacity for 270 occupants. Rooms in this dormitory are available at approximately 70 percent of usual college dormitory room rates. ► Kim Yun-seon / Ddabok Dormitory Resident, Senior, Dankook University “There is no deposit requirement nor management charges. You only have to pay monthly rent and nothing else. This is really great.” In addition to communal facilities for students such as a library, study rooms and laundry rooms as well as a common room with a refrigerator on each floor, there are also a restaurant, café and fitness club that are open to the public. ► Ju Min-seong /Ddabok Dormitory Resident, Junior, Kyonggi University “There are all the facilities we normally need to use so that almost everything can be done within the dormitory. It is very convenient.” ► Opening of Gyeonggi Province Ddabok Dormitory (September 3) Through an agreement with Seoul National University, Gyeonggi Province established this Ddabok (따복) Dormitory for college students in the province on a site provided by the university, and will support its operation costs. ►Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “We will continue to establish shared facilities with quality services available at low rates; the community facilities in which many activities can be seen.” The resident students of the Ddabok (따복) Dormitory will also be provided with various support programs for employment, business startups and vocational education for certification as well as for the cultivation of their talents. Article 2. Thai Power Bloggers Tour Gyeonggi Province (170904-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province recently invited power bloggers from Thailand to join a familiarization tour of the province as part of a provincial tourism promotion among influential individuals on social network services overseas. These bloggers, who have millions of subscribers, visited a number of attractive tourist destinations in the province. ►Apple Orchard, Pocheon City In an apple orchard in Pocheon (포천) City, the Thai visitors take photos of apple trees laden with ripe fruit. They record their experiences that include harvesting and apple jam-making. ► [PiP] Santipap / Thai Blogger “I came here with my girlfriend, took pictures and picked apples. It was a novel experience.” ► ‘Herb Island’, Pocheon City These bloggers then visited an herb farm and were fascinated by a variety of beautiful flowers and aromatic plants that they have never seen in Thailand. ► [pip] PaiPorawan / Thai Blogger “If you like to take pictures, if you come here, I think you will love it, because it’s heavenly for taking pictures (here), they are so beautiful, they are so cute…” ► 5-Day Fam Tour of Gyeonggi Province On August 28, thirteen Thai bloggers arrived in Gyeonggi Province and began their 5-day tour of locations selected by the Tourism Marketing Team of Gyeonggi Province. These bloggers will act as messengers for the province to their subscribers through social network services. Unlike previous tourism promotional fam tours that targeted tourism industry personnel, this was the first such event that utilized non-tourism individuals for direct access to potential tourists. ► Han Seung-min / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Tourism Marketing Team “Gyeonggi Province has been endeavoring to diversify tourism markets after the Chinese ban of Korean tours. This fam tour program is part of such efforts targeting Thai tourists since Thailand is emerging as a tourism market with high potential.” Gyeonggi Province plans to organize other tourism promotion programs similar to this Thai bloggers’ fam tour, directly targeting potential tourists in nations other than China including South east Asian nations with their growing tourist numbers. Article 3. Gyeonggi Launches Book-reading Service for Children by Seniors (170904-3) [Anchor’s Headline] Autumn is traditionally regarded as book-reading season in Korea. In order to help children with reading, Gyeonggi Province recruited seniors and trained them as book-reading service providers. After training, these seniors, known as Silver Book-reading Aids, began working at local children’s libraries and children’s centers. ► Children’s Library, Anyang City In this children’s library, children listen to a story read by a senior. ► [Sync]“So, you have gold wings. And you think you are better than us?” Children are absorbed in the story while she reads the book and realistically mimics the voices ofthe characters. ► [PiP]Kim Tae-gyeom (aged 9), Anyang City “The story wasn’t much interesting when I read on my own, but it was when she read it for us. Besides, we could ask questions, too.” Seniors are also enthusiastic about their jobs and treat the children like their own grandchildren. ► [PiP]Kim Tae-seon (aged 65) / Silver Book-reading Aid “Children tend to skim the books. However, it helps them to develop careful listening skills when we read books to them.” ►Silver Book-reading Aids for Children The Silver Book-reading Aid program was launched by Gyeonggi Province in 2010 to provide children’s libraries and institutes with book-reading aids selected from among retired seniors. These seniors provide book-reading services and also supervise related activities at local facilities on a weekly basis. To date, more than half a million children have benefited from Silver Book-reading Aid services. ► Park Yeong-suk / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Library Support Team “The purpose of this program is to help children develop learning skills and promote relations between the first and the third generations through assistance provided by seniors.” At a time when personal interactions and relations between generations are becoming scarcer, book-reading seniors are providing children with warm grandparental guidance. Article 4. Unjust Provincial Contracts Uncovered in Gyeonggi Province (170905-1) [Anchor’s Headline]In Korea, a contractor for public works valued below KRW 20 million may be selected by special appointment instead of by bidding. This often leads to appointment - by - favor and even false cost estimations. A large number of such unjust contracts have recently been uncovered in Gyeonggi Province. ► Local Public Office Landscaping Work, Icheon City At a local public office in Icheon City, provincial inspectors revealed that most sidewalks were repaved with existing blocks although the work order specified the use of new paving blocks. The same contractor installed a ventilation fan in a store room without a power outlet nearby, and charged more than ten times the actual value. After appointing a contractor, this office even neglected to perform post-work inspections. ► Yanpyeong County Landscaping Work In a Yangpyeong County landscaping project, fewer trees were planted than specified. ► GTV Reporter Choi Chang-sun “The number of tress actually planted was 30 less than the final approval inspection report, wasting KRW 8 million in tax payer money.” The county office neglected to revise the amount of the contract according to the changed design and did not check the number of planted trees. ► Gyeonggi Uncovers 1,316 Unjust Local Office Contracts Earlier this year, Gyeonggi Province audited the special appointment contracts of local governments and discovered 1,316 cases of improper or fraudulent contracthandling. There were even cases of work division so that contracts could be granted to a special contractor. ► Han In-gyo / Director General, Gyeonggi Province General Audit Office “The three officials in charge who abused authority or neglected duties were disciplined and the seven officials who failed to observe legal requirements due to ignorance received formal admonitions.” The amountof the unjust contracts uncovered through this year’s audit totaled KRW 16.5 billion. Gyeonggi Province will continue to perform special appointment contract audits on a regular basis. Article 5. Gyeonggi Helps SMEs with International Marketing via SNS(170905-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province launched an international marketing support program for SMEs via social networking services, which are increasingly being used as a marketing tool by enterprises seeking to launch their products in new markets. ► Environment-Friendly Washing Agents Enterprise This enterprise in Suwon (수원) City of Gyeonggi Province produces environment-friendly washing agents.After the company began advertising its products via Facebook and Instagram with assistance from a marketing enterprise, it began receiving orders from overseas buyers. In just four months, its sales soared 300 percent and it now enjoys increased exports as well as local sales. ► Jin Ji-yueong / CEO of Environment-Friendly Washing Agents Enterprise “We were exposed to a large number of consumers as well as buyers. We received enquiries from countries where we never participated in any trade exhibitions. Some of these enquiries led to actual business meetings and purchase orders. This pattern continues.” There are an increasing number of success stories of international marketing via social networking services. However, most SMEs encounter difficulties establishing such marketing tems without specialized assistance. ► Gyeonggi Provides SMEs with SNS Marketing Support Gyeonggi Province’s social networking service marketing support will be provided to such enterprises to help them with international market launches. For the first time among autonomous bodies of Korea, Gyeonggi Province will provide these enterprises with support of up to KRW 3 million as well as specialized consulting services. ► Song Yong-wook / Director, Gyeonggi Province International Trade Division “Online markets are growing rapidly in the United States and China. Gyeonggi Province will provide momentum for the establishment of online marketing infrastructure accessible by consumers.” ► Applications for SNS Marking Support: www.egbiz.or.kr Those enterprises seeking Gyeonggi Province’s social networking service marketing support may apply via the homepage of EGBIZ by September 15. Article 6. Public Design Contest Held in Gyeonggi Province (170905-3) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province held a public contest for ideas that can improve convenience in the use of public facilities such as parks and transportation. Anyone who experienced inconvenience using such facilities and had solutions for improvement could participate in the contest. ► Park in Yongin City A badminton net in a park in Yongin City remains in place regardless of weather conditions and without maintenance. It is susceptible to damage and can create an unsightly scene. ► Rollable Badminton Net Won Top Prize Park (박관근) won the top prize with a net design that can be easily rolled, an idea he had when he experienced inconvenience with existing nets. His idea was recognized as exemplary since such a design can also be applied to other net-using sports. ► Park Gwan-geun / Tope Prize Winner “In many cases, nets were not installed at all due to possible complaints by the public. This made us think of a net that can easily be rolled and unrolled.” ► Lee Jeong-hun / Gacheon University Student Lee (이정훈), a university student, won a gold prize with his transportation card reader design. ► Card Reader Installed Next to Stop Request Button With the card reader being combined with the stop request button, passengers, especially children and seniors, do not need to have their cards in hand when alighting. ► Lee Jeong-hun / Gold Prize Winner “It will be more convenient for those with hearing difficulties such as seniors if a speaker is also attached behind the stop request button to provide travel announcements.” There were other useful ideas for the convenience of the public including those regarding fire extinguisher installation in traditional markets and traffic signs at a child’s eyelevel. ► Gyeonggi Province Public Design Contest Gyeonggi Province’s public design contest was conceived of as a means to improve public facilities by using ideas proposed by the public, the users of such facilities. Gyeonggi Province plans to apply practical ideas to actual facilities. ► Prize-winning Ideas to Be Exhibited The nine prize-winning ideas can be seen by the public when they are exhibited at the Siheung Eco Center on October 13. Article 7. Gyeonggi Remains Vigilant Against Infectious Diseases (170906-3) [Anchor’s Headline] This year, Korea has more frequent contiguous holidays and is expected to see 20 percent more holiday seekers travelling overseas than in other years, posing an increased risk of infectious disease onsets. Gyeonggi Province has been preparing for such danger through repeated drills. Two years ago, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, also known as MERS,hit an unprepared Koreaand claimed 38 lives in three months. This drove the need for preparedness in such cases. ► Health Care Innovation Park, Seongnam City (September 5) Response Drill to New Infectious Disease These drills were organized based on the hypothetical onset of a new infectious disease and involve local governments, public health centers and medical institutes working closely together through video conferences. For the first time in Korea, the drill this year featured the use of an infectious disease information tem. ► Kim Ui-seok / Head of Bundang Seoul National University Hospital Infection Control Department “We consider it very important to follow the initial response procedures through communication and to have an effective public health disaster control tem in place,” Since they are critical for the containment of pathogens in the case of epidemics, all protective gear, ambulances and quarantine equipment are either sterilized or disposed of properly. The movements of suspected patients are tracked and their homes, workplaces and other visited sites as well as persons who have had contact with them are isolated. ► [Sync] Local Public Health Center “From now, no one should leave their home.” ► [Sync] Person Who Contacted Suspected Patient “What if I lose my job then? Can you take responsibility for that?” We are targeting complete initial suppression within five days of the entry of a suspected patient into the country. ► Cho Jeong-ok / Director, Gyeonggi Province Infectious Disease Control Division “We plan to apply diverse hypothetical situations to the training tem and to develop quick response capabilities through repeated drills.” Vaccinations prior to departure arecritical in avoiding infectious diseases. If one develops a fever or diarrhea after returning from overseas, treatment should be sought immediately. Gyeonggi Province plans to establish permanent training facilities and to distribute manuals for each scenario to related organizations. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.09.08
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1. Gyeonggi Launches Smart Farm Technology Development (170828-1) [Anchor’s Headline] The Gyeonggi provincial agricultural research institute GARES recently launched full-fledged research activities in the development of smart farming that uses advanced information and communication technologies for automatic farm management. ▶Chrysanthemum Farm, Icheon City When the temperature rises to 34 degrees Celsius inside the greenhouses on this chrysanthemum farm, sunlight is blocked automatically by blinds driven by heat sensors and fans,and water sprinklers begin running. The temperature quickly drops to 29 degrees Celsius. ▶Lee Cheol-ho / Chrysanthemum Farmer “Previously, I had to closely monitor weather forecasts and be always ready to run to the greenhouses. I am much more relaxed now since environmental control is being done automatically (by a smart farm tem).” The smart farm tem also regularly checks soil conditions and supplies water and chemicals when necessary. ▶ICT System Used in Smart Farming On smart farms, most farm work is done by the tems with minimal human intervention. Equipped with 3D cameras and various sensors, these tems can also help with the monitoring and control of plant diseases and pests,as well as with the maturation of produce and even harvesting. ▶GARES Launches Smart Farm Technology Research In order to promote smart farming, GARES recently established a convergence information tem that can be used to collect and analyze farming data and determine optimal management for the crops. ▶Jeon Myeong-hui / Agricultural Analysis Research Official, GARES “We are developing farm management models for individual growth stages of crops based on analyses of growth data and sensor information at each stage.” When research progresses to more advanced levels, the smart farm technologies may encompass harvest forecasts as well asthe use of robots. Such technological advancement will revolutionize farming to an extent that will see farmers do their work while sitting at workstations. Article 2. Overseas Gyeonggi Business Centers Achieve Record Results(170828-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province has been operating overseas trade offices known as Gyeonggi Business Centers, or GBCs, to assist SMEs in the province with their overseas market launches. In the first half of this year, despite negative trade environments in the United States and China, these offices achieved record results. ▶Nail Polisher Enterprise, Siheung City This nail-polishing device manufacturer owns the world’s first nail-polishing technology that uses tempered glass. These devices are safer than existing products and can even be used as an alternative to chemical manicure products. This company recently succeeded in launching its products in India thanks to marketing assistance provided by the GBC in Mumbai. ▶Jeong Cheol-jin / CEO of Nail-polishing Device Manufacturing Enterprise “The GBC India branch kindly assigned a staff member to work exclusively on our behalf. This official met with a number of business people, showed product samples, and provided us with monthly progress reports.” ▶GBC as Overseas Marketing Platform for Gyeonggi SMEs Gyeonggi Province established GBCs to provide those SMEs that lack international sales experience with comprehensive overseas marketing services through all trade procedures. There are currently 10 GBC offices operating in 7 nations. ▶185 Enterprises Benefited This Year During the first half of this year, a total of 195 enterprises benefited from GBC services, securing contracts amounting to USD 23 million. ▶Greatest Results since 2005 This marks the greatest results since the first GBC office opened in Mumbai in 2005. ▶Song Yong-uk / Director, Gyeonggi Province International Trade Division “SMEs in rural areas have limited access to international trade platforms. Gyeonggi Province’s platforms were established for such enterprises. We selected GBC locations based on local trade potential, and we believe that contributed to the good results.” Gyeonggi Province will continue to support SMEs in the province through GBCs so as to achieve targeted exports of KRW 100 billion and the creation of 20,000 jobs. Article 3. Gyeonggi Develops New Processed Agricultural Foods (170828-3) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province has been developing various processed agricultural foods so as to increase the value added to farm products of the province, especially rice products. A number of such foods, ranging from rice breads to instant rice noodles, have been successfully introduced to markets. ▶Bakery, Suwon City Among more than 300 types of bread featured in this bakery in Suwon (수원) City, rice bread is one of the more popular. ▶Yu Ji-hyun / Bakery Shop Customer “At first, rice bread sounded unfamiliar. However, I enjoy it since it tastes good and goes down smoothly.” Two years ago, a rice bread-baking technique was transferred to this bakery by GARES. Rice bread now accounts for 20 percent of its sales. ▶Kim Yeong-il / Manager, Bakery “We receive good responses from customers. We even have customers who order rice bread in advance and those who travel long distanced to buy this bread.” ▶GARES Develops Processed Agricultural Foods GARES have been developing agricultural food-processing techniquesand transferring these techniques to food-processing enterprises. This institute also developed food-processing equipment such as instant rice noodle makers and rice cake-making kits for homes. Currently, pocket rice for quick breakfastsand rice cookie products are ready for market introduction by their producers. ▶Lee Hae-gil / Director, Agricultural Produce Research Division, GARES “New agricultural food-processing techniques help farmers increase their income through increased value added to agricultural products. This additional value, in turn, contributes to the advancement of the agricultural industry.” There are a number of liquor-brewing techniques currently being developed by GARES such as rice wine brewed from rice flour and sweet potato wine. These new processed agricultural foods will increase farmer income as well as the consumption of agricultural products of the province. Article 4. Gyeonggi Operates Self-Support Program for Adults with Developmental Disorders (170829-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province has developed a self-support program for adults with developmental disordersso as to provide them with comprehensive support in activities ranging from daily housework to social life. This program is supplementary to existing vocational training programs and assistance services. ▶Han Jin-ho / Developmental Disorder Patient Six months ago, Ham (함진호), an adult with a developmental disorder, began living independently. He shops at supermarkets on his own. He became capable of living independently since a social worker helps him with everyday life. This social worker guides Ham through things that ordinary persons do such as dealing with bills and household chores. ▶Han Jin-ho (aged 34) / Adult with 3rd-Degree Intellectual Disability “Since I began living independently, I have been able to do a lot of the things that I wanted to do such as getting a driver’s license, buying a car, meeting a girlfriend…” ▶North Gyeonggi Support Center for Families of Disabled Park (박규홍), also an adult with a developmental disorder, is excited about his very first job. Next month, he will begin his internship at a university hospital working as apatient equipment repair engineer. ▶Park Gyu-hong (Aged 24) / Adult with 3rd-Degree Intellectual Disability “I feel warmed and rewarded when I help those with illnesses.” Self-support is not an option but instead a necessity for individuals with developmental disorders. ▶Gyeonggi Develops Self-Support Program for Adults with Developmental Disorders To assist such individuals with everything that is needed, from housework to employment through education, Gyeonggi Province developed a self-support program. Education is provided free of charge in five categories at related provincial institutes. ▶Ji Ju-yeon / Director, Gyeonggi Province Social Welfare Division “Since education is based on manuals which include procedures and exercises for each category, consistent results can be achieved.” After operating the program on a trial basis,Gyeonggi Province plans to expand the application of the finalized program by next year. Article 5. Gyeonggi Province Finalizes Revised Supplementary Budget (170830-1) [Anchor’s Headline] The Gyeonggi Provincial Government recently submitted a revised supplementary budget plan amounting to KRW 22.5 trillion to the Gyeonggi Provincial Assemblyfor deliberation. ▶This Year’s Second Revised Supplementary Budget Plan for KRW 22.5 Trillion This is the year’s second revised provincial supplementary budget; it is KRW 500 billion greater than the first. [CG]The major areas covered by this budget include employment, health and welfare, education, safety and the environment, and northern Gyeonggi Province. ▶KRW 61 Billion for Employment Projects Among these areas, employment accounts for the largest portion with an allocation of KRW 61 billion. This additional funding will be used for projects that are closely related to resident life such as work environment improvement projects. ▶Yu Tae-il / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi ProvinceGeneral Budget Management Team “There will be intensive investments in employment-related projects that will alleviate employment mismatch issues.” ▶KRW 44.2 Billion for Health, Welfare and Education Projects Projects in the fields of health, welfare and education account for the second largest portion of the revised supplementary budget with an allocation of KRW 44.2 billion. ▶KRW 11.4 Billion for Disaster & Safety Projects Disaster and safety projects covered by this budget include those for the improvement of firefighting capabilities and facilities as well as the reinforcement of safety center equipment. ▶KRW 11.2 Billion for Northern Gyeonggi and Other Projects For the improvement of the regional competitiveness of northern Gyeonggi Province and the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, KRW 11.2 billion was allocated. ▶Yu Tae-il / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province General Budget Management Team “This revised supplementary budget is expected to have many positive effects on youth employment, political coalition and working-class economic issues.” In addition, KRW 28.8 billion was allocated for joint political coalition projects of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly. Following its approval by the provincial assemblyon September 12, this revised supplementary budget will be available for use seven days later. Article 6. Gyeonggi Supports Switch from Rice Farming to Alternative Crops (170830-3) [Anchor’s Headline] Rice farmers in Korea have been experiencing great difficulties due to over-production. To them, bumper crops mean problems. In order to resolve such issues, Gyeonggi Province has been promoting the switch from rice farming to alternative crops. Such endeavors are having positive results. ▶Kim Hyeon-oh / Former Rice Farmer, Paju City For the past 40 years, Kim (김현오) has been growing rice, but he began to experience difficulties several years ago due to low rice prices. His debt has been growing each year. This year, however, he planted beans instead of rice and was able to double his income ▶Kim Hyun-oh / Bean Farmer “Beans generate more income than rice. Besides, bean sales are not a problem in Paju City…” [CG] While Korea’s annual rice production exceeded 4.1 million tons, more than 30 percent remainedas surplus due to decreased consumption. Rice prices saw record lows this year. To help farmers overcome this situation, Gyeonggi Province has been encouraging rice farmers to plant rice fields with alternative crops such as beans, ginseng and peppers through various supports. ▶Rice Farm Areas Decreases in Gyeonggi Province Such provincial policy resulted in a 1,900-hectare decrease in provincial rice farm areas. ▶Kim Sang-gyeong / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Rice Supply/Demand Task Force “Rice production has decreased by approximately 10,000 tons. This will have a positive effect on price levels.” The situation will further improve next year when the Korean government begins to provide support of KRW 3 million per hectare of rice fields that are planted with alternative crops. Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province announced a plan to reduce rice farm areas by 10,000 hectares by the year 2019. Article 7. Gyeonggi Province Opens Libraries in Subway Stations (170831-1) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province recently opened a small library in Jeongja (정자) Station in Seongnam (성남) City. Being a junction between two subway lines, this station is used by many passengers. ▶Jeongja Subway Station, Seongnam City Titled ‘Study in Subway’, this library features seats that can be used by readers as well as by other travelers who wish to rest their feet for a while. Although this library is situated in a bustling station, its cozy atmosphere provides users with relaxation in the midst of their journeys. ▶Kim Hyun-ja / Library User “There is a library near my home. However, this library seems much more convenient to use since it is on my usual travel route.” This subway library houses more than 400 books from popular genres. ▶Manless Library with Minimal Procedures for Convenience This library has no librarian and instead utilizes a simple borrowing procedure. One can borrow books for up to two weeks simply by scanning the bar-coded books with a bar code reader or by leavingone’s telephone number and the book title on a form that is then deposited in a loan box. ▶Lee Jeong-hwa / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Contents Policy Team “We created a reading space in a station where busy travelers can still enjoy contact with books so as to promote reading culture among residents.” Gyeonggi Province plans to open one more Study in Subway in Gwanggyo Jungang(광교중앙) Station by the end of the year. Based on the results, Gyeonggi Province will establish more subway libraries in selected stations to provide subways travelers with opportunities for cultural experiences while in transit. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.09.01
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1.24-hour CulturalTour Program in Gyeonggi Province (170821-1) [Anchor’s Headline]On August 18 and 19, anovernight cultural festival titled Midsummer Night’s Dream in Gyeonggitook place in Paju (파주) City of Gyeonggi Province. Paju was the first venue of this provincial summer festivaltour that consists of various cultural activities. ▶Paju BookCity Organized by the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, the Paju event of this cultural festival took place at Paju Book CityfromFridayeveningthrough to Saturday. ▶Kim Byeong-hwa / Visitor from Seoul “Festivals usually feature very stimulating, noisy events. It was a pleasant surprise to find more refined cultural contents provided in a relaxed manner here.” The romantic atmosphere of a midsummer night in Paju (파주) City harmonizedwiththe sound of jazz musicin the air. In addition to jazz performances, the Paju event featured thescreening of old movie classics followed by talks with movie specialists, book-readings in bookshop alleys, and a drinking house with guitar performances for beer lovers. These events continued until noon the next day. ▶Lee Ji-yeong / Visitor from Paju City “It was an especially enjoyable experience to be able to freely read a variety of books around the clock while listening to music.” ▶Midsummer Night’s Dream in Gyeonggi Tour Program This unusual cultural tour program isjointly supported by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization. For an admission fee of KRW 30,000 per person, visitors were provided with opportunities to freely enjoy their choices of cultural events from Friday afternoon until noon on Saturday. ▶Park Dae-dong / Chief Official, Gyeonggi Tourism OrganizationDomestic Marketing Team “We organized this program to provide residents with opportunities to enjoy cultural activities such as book readings and performanceswithout night closures.” The next venues for the Gyeonggi cultural festival tour willbe Gapyeong (가평) County and Yangju (양주) City. Unlike bustling summer resorts, these overnight cultural festivals provide residents with opportunities to spend their summer holidays in a more tranquil manner. Article 2.Gyeonggi Develops Insecticide to Control American Planthoppers(170821-2) [Anchor’s Headline]In recent years, Korean farmershave beentroubled by aplanthopperonslaught.Originating from North America and thus commonly referred to asAmerican planthoppers, these insectsare difficult to control and inflictincreasing levels of damageeach year, especially on organic farms. ▶Organic Ginseng Farm, Anseong City However, theGyeonggi provincial agricultural institute GARES recently announced the development of an organic insecticide that is effective against American planthoppers. Theseplanthopperslive on tree and vegetable sap,causing the plants to wither. The insects are resilient and resistant to existing organic insecticides. ▶Choi Seong-gwan / Organic Ginseng Farmer “I used many different insecticides, but none worked. I tried increasing the number of days of application. That didn’t work either.” [CG]Lacking effective control means, the area damaged by American planthoppers has increased rapidly over the past three years. ▶New Organic Insecticide Effective in American Planthopper Control This new organic insecticide was developed from natural substances including lugworm and cinnamon extracts. [CG] Unlike most organic insecticides that lose their effectiveness within two days, this productremainseffective for four times longer. This insecticide is also effective in relatively small quantities since it contains a special oily additive. ▶Lee Yeong-su / Research Official, GARES “The use of existing eco-friendly insecticides was avoided since they are also toxic to honey bees. This product has low toxicity to honey bees but is effective on American planthoppers even 3 to 4 days after application.” Confident that this new American planthopper control agent can be used in urban areas since it is essentially harmless to humans, GARES plans to supply this agent to farmersfrom next year. Article 3.Old Story Exhibition Held in Gyeonggi Provincial Museum (170821-3) [Anchor’s Headline]An old story exhibition, which features tales ofhistoriccharactersthat have been conveyed through generations in Gyeonggi Province,is being held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum. Targetingprimary school children, this exhibition also features entertaining programs related to the stories. ▶Oseong and Haneum A story describestwo mischievous-yet-clever boys who grew up and made great contributions to the country as high officials. They became symbols of Pocheon (포천) City. ▶Heonanseolheon Another story describes a talented ladypoet who lived in Gwangju (광주). She acquired more fame overseas than in the patriarchal Joseon (조선) Dynasty. ▶Choi Ru-baek In Hwaseong (화성) City, there is a gate that commemorates a devoted sonwho, during the Koryo (고려) Dynasty, bravely achievedrevenge on a tiger that had killed his father. ▶Mun Yun-a, Kim Yu-ho, Kim Si-ho / Visitors from Yongin City “The featured tales were familiar to my children. Since my children liked the tales, they appreciated the displays by themselves without help.” ▶Gyeonggi Provincial Museum (until October 29) Where Are Those Old Stories?Exhibition This exhibition and related experiential programs feature 20 old stories from among more than 1,500 talesthat have been passed on in Gyeonggi Province. Through these displays and experiences, children can appreciate the wisdom of their ancestors. This exhibition also features more than 50 story-related portraits, books and relics. ▶Han Jun-yeong / Curator, Gyeonggi Provincial Museum “Such venerable tales are in danger of being forgotten forever among children under the powerful influences of TV and games. We hope that this exhibition will provide primary school children with an opportunity to learn about the knowledge and wisdom of their ancestors.” The accompanying experiential programs include automata-making, storybook-making and an old story hip-hop class. Article 4.Youth Job Search Support Ranks 1st among Gyeonggi Policies (170822-1) [Anchor’s Headline]Gyeonggi Province recently conducted an online survey of more than 43,000 residents regardingprovincial policies. The most highly ratedpolicy was youth employment search support that provides a monthly stipend of KRW 500,000 to job-searching youths. During its term, the current Gyeonggi provincial administration has introduced more than 300 policies in fields that are closely related to the lives of residents. ▶Youth Job Search SupportFavored by Most Residents Of these policies, more than 5,500 residentsgave youth employment search support the highest rating.This policy enables the provision of up to KRW 3 million in job search cost support toyouths who are preparing for employment. ▶BaekHyeong-woo / Employment Search Support Recipient “I had to live frugally since I needed funds to support my study for TOEIC, interviews and vocational certifications. (With provincial support,) I am financially reassured now.” [CG]The next favored policy was the work environment improvement project for firefighters, whichwas favored by more than 5,000 respondents, followed by the water pipe replacement support policy and the apartment management fees audit policy. [CG]The youth fare discount policy was most favored by teenagers while the Ddabok childcare center project received the highest number of positive ratings from residents in their 30s. ▶Kim Ji-hyeon, Yun Ga-on / Suwon City Residents “Children use buses frequently to travel to schools and private educational institutes. As a parent, the savings in such travel costs are significant.” This provincial policy survey also aimed at promoting 30 major provincial policies among residents. ▶Yu Dae-seong / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Social Media Team “The purpose of this survey was to promote interest in provincial policies among residents so as to ensure that the residents who need provincial support receive what they need.” During the survey, a large number of residents visited the survey page of theGyeonggi Province website.The survey results will be used by the related provincial departments for administrative improvements. Article 5.GyeonggiDevelopsIndependence Movement Monuments (170823-1) [Anchor’s Headline]Gyeonggi Province has been searching for the remains of independence movements from the period of the Japanese occupation of Korea during the early 20th century so as to develop them as cultural and tourism sites. ▶Yangseong-myeon, Anseong City This part of Anseong (안성) City abounds with independencemovement sites including... ▶Manse Hill …the hill where the Long Live Joseon Movement started… ▶Gwangboksa …and a Buddhist temple where memorial tablets of patriots who participated in such movements are kept. ▶31 Movement Memorial Hall, Anseng City In the 31 Movement Memorial Hallin this area, one can find the trial records of these patriots as well as a national flag stained with their blood. ▶RyuUi-su / 31 Movement Memorial HallVisitor from USA “After nearly 100 years, we seldom get to see the relics like these. This is a meaningful place that reminds us of the past.” ▶Sin Ik-hui Village, Gwangju City This village was named after the Interior Secretary of the Korean governmentinexile in Shanghaiduringthe Japanese occupation. ▶Gyeonggi Uncovers 347 Anti-Japan Movement Sites To date, a total of 347 remainshave been identified through investigations ofthe sites of independence movements that occurred from 1895 to 1945. These remains include buildings, the birthplaces of independence movement leaders and independence movement sites as well as monuments, relics, trial records and hand-written wills. ▶Do Hyeon-seon / Director, Gyeonggi Province Cultural Heritage Division “There has been no record that catalogues the independent movements that took place in Gyeonggi Province. The investigations we conducted were meaningful in that they provided a basis for tematic preparation of such records.” After further site investigations and evaluations, Gyeonggi Provincewill install plaques and information boards by next year and provide preservation management at 58 more important sites so as toenable their development as cultural and tourism sites. Article 6.Lights-out in Gyeonggi Province on Energy Day (170823-2) [Anchor’s Headline] August 22 was designated as Energy Day since it is the day when energy consumption is highest during the year.ThisEnergy Day, all cities and counties of Gyeonggi Provincejoined in powering downby turning off public lighting for five minutes. ▶[Sync] “...three, two, one... Off!” At 9 o’clock in the evening of August 22, streetlamps, park lights and public facility lighting went dark in phases like magic. Even lights in public offices were turned off. Cities fell into a rare silence while streets glowed with hand-held lights carried by citizens. ▶GyeonHye-won / Anyang City Resident “I hope that my children will take part in this event and makea better world through energy saving when they grow up.” ▶Choi Jae-ho / Anyang City Resident “I hope that this five-minute period of solidarity will help create a better world for my son and for all of us.” ▶Pyeongchon Central Park, Anyang City (August 22) The 14th Energy Day Ceremony Marking its 14th occasion, powering down is an Energy Day event organized by Gyeonggi Provinceto promote daily energy conservation practices among members of the public. This event saw the participationof approximately 50,000 households and tourist sites in the provinceas well as more than 200 buildings nationwide. ▶Gyeonggi ProvinceVice Governor for Political Coalition Gang Deuk-ku “It is aimed both at renewing recognition of energy conservation and resolving energy issues.” Up to last year, powering down events reduced electricityconsumption by more than 8 million kW, which could power 23,000 households for a day. Article 7.9th DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival Slated for September (170824-1) [Anchor’s Headline]The 9th DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival, a representative film festival of Gyeonggi Province, is slated to begin on September 21 for an 8-day run. This year’s event will feature more than a hundred documentaries from around the world. ▶The 9th DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival The trailer of the event begins with a door slowly opening and light pouring in, illuminatingportraits in the darkness. This trailer was filmed atthe former DMZ-adjacent Camp Greaves. Released recently, this trailer conveys the image of the transformation of the demilitarized zone from dark to light through communication. ▶Old Marine Boy by Jin Mo-yeong For the opening film, a documentary titled Old Marine Boy, which is about a father who risks his life for his family, was selected. This film is about a North Korean defector who lives in South Korea near the border working as a diver to support his family. ▶Cho Jae-hyeon / DMZ Korean International Documentary FestivalExecutive Committee Chairman “The theme of the 9th DMZKorean International Documentary Festivalis ‘Documentaries Coming Closer to Citizens’. We hope that this festival realizes just that.” This year’s festival features 114 DMZ-related documentaries coveringdiverse life stories from 42 nations. ▶First Documentary Podcast ‘Dynamite Zone’ For the first time, this year’s event will see theintroduction of a documentary podcast that features free discussions between members of the public and documentary specialists. ▶Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “Please extend your support for our DMZ Korean International Documentary Festivalso that this festival can help people find the essence of life and encourage its diversity to bloom.” ▶Festival Runs 8 Days from September 21 The 9th DMZdocumentary festival will run for eight days from September 21 until 28 at four venues. The opening ceremony will be broadcast in real time on large screens at public places in major cities including Seoul and Goyang (고양) City. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.08.24
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1.Gyeonggi Seeks to Utilize Interest from Unused Prepaid Fares(170814-1) [Anchor’s Headline] After charge cards began to incorporate transportation fare payments in Korea, many prepaid fare cards with small balances were left at home when users changed to the charge cards. Gyeonggi Province is seeking to utilize the interest generated from such dormant fare deposits for public good. After the began using a charge card to pay for public transportation, Lee (이진우)no longer carried the prepaid fare card he had been using. ▶Lee Jin-woo / Fare Charge Card User, Seoul “Most people discard prepaid fare cards or leave them at home when they change to charge cards for fare payments, if the prepaid fare card balances are small.” There are a large number of prepaid fare cards with remaining balances that are no longer in use. [CG]The national total of prepaid fares that remain unused for more than five years amounts to approximately KRW 16 billion, which generates interest of KRW 190 million annually. [CG]In Gyeonggi Province, unused fare deposits amount to KRW 4.4 billion with interest of KRW 52 million having been paid to the fare card enterprises. ▶Gyeonggi Seeks to Utilize Interest from Dormant Prepaid Fare Card Balances Last year, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government was able to persuade fare card enterprises to return this extra income to society. However, since there is no legal basis for the transfer of the use of such income for public good, Gyeonggi Province is seeking ways in which to use this extra income for the public, the source of the income. ▶Kim Sang-pal / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province (Transportation) Transfer & Fare Team “We are recommending that the card service enterprises donate the extra income and more. We are also pursuing the establishment of an institutional basis for the return of this income to society.” A fare card enterprise spokesperson stated that their company will positively consider the matter through discussions with Gyeonggi Province. Article 2.Crafts of Gyeonggi Artists Showcased in Gyeonggi Museum (170814-2) [Anchor’s Headline] To commemorate its 11th anniversary, the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art opened an exhibition that showcases the works of 32 craftsmen who work in Gyeonggi Province. The showcased pieces display artistic features while maintaining practicality. ▶Forest of colors by Kim Jeong-seok A picture with colorful LED lightingin a glass frame is not abstract art but a talisman that is hung on a wall to summon family happiness. ▶Monami Pen by Yun Seok-cheol This gold and silver fountain pen was transformed into the shape of a familiar ballpoint pen. ▶The Summer Visits a Workshop – A Fan and the Future by Lee Ji-suk Created with traditional techniques, these works are modern in style. ▶Jeong Da-hye, Park Yeong-ju / Viewers from Siheung City “I expected the exhibits to be similar to those that we usually see in our daily lives, but they were very different. They were so pretty that I wished they were mine.” ▶Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art Craft Climax - Gyeonggi Modern Craft 2017 Exhibition This exhibition, titled Craft Climax – Gyeonggi Modern Craft 2017, was organized to promote the diversification of modern art through a broadening of the technical possibilities in crafts. More than240 pieces were showcased at this exhibition; these include ceramics created with 3D printers as well as traditional handmade paper crafts combined with sculpture techniques. These works incorporate artistic value as well as practicality. ▶Park Bon-su / Curator, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art “If you pay attention to how each piece was created to render both artistic and practical value, then you will be able to appreciate the works from a new perspective.” This exhibition also features a house interior with works used as ornaments and a model workshop complete with tools used by craftsmen as well as an actual workshop in which visitors can experience crafts. ▶Exhibition Runs until September 17 Showcasing the combination of traditional crafts and modern art, this exhibition will run until September 17. Article 3. Gwangmyeong Cave Popular as Summer Destination (170814-3) [Anchor’s Headline]Gwangmyeong(광명) Cave in Gwangmyeong (광명) City, the only tourist cave in the Seoul - Gyeonggi region, is enjoying great popularity as a summer destination that offers cool shelter from the heat as well as a variety of entertaining features and eateries. ▶Gwangmyeong Cave, Gwangmyeong City While regional heatwave warnings are frequently being issued in Korea, Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave offers cool shelter from the heat with temperatures remaining constant at 14 degrees Celsius. This cave also features a waterfall, image media show performances, an aquarium and a wine house in addition to beautifully illuminated subterranean passages. ▶Nam Dong-won, Jang Seong-min, Jang Ha-yeong / Visitors from Incheon City “The cave was much larger than I thought. I was surprised that a closed mine could be transformed into such an interesting place. It is an ideal place to visit during the summer because it is cool in there.” One can see exotic fish from around the world at Aqua World and sample wines, which are stored on site, at a wine house inside the cave. ▶Barbie Doll Exhibition Runs until October In a neighboring hall, a Barbie doll exhibition is currently being held and will run until this coming October. This exhibition features more than 700 Barbie dolls including the very first doll introduced in 1959. ▶Du Ha-yun, Jeong Yun-hu, Kim Jin-yeong / Visitors from Soheung City “We came to see the cave and got to see pretty Barbie dolls, too. It was fun.” This summer alone, Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave saw approximately 450,000 visitors. ▶Yun Yang-hyeong / Director General, Gwangmyeong City Resident Happiness Bureau “Gwangmyeong Cave was included among 100 tourist destinations recommended by the Korean government. We will develop diverse contents to promote the cave as a tourist destination of international standards.” Gwangmyeong (광명) Cave was formerly a small gold mine that was closed for forty years before recently being reopened as a tourist destination. Article 4.Jebu Island Renewed as Cultural Site (170816-1) [Anchor’s Headline]Jebu (제부도) Island in Hwaseong (화성) City of Gyeonggi Province has been renewed as an island of culture and art. With its new Art Park and scenic trails, this island has seen a 20 percent increase in the number of visitors. ▶Jebu Island, Hwaseong City Jebu(제부도) Island is famous for its passage to the main land that appears twice daily when the tide recedes. This natural phenomenon attracts 1.7 million visitors to this island annually. ▶Art Park Previously, seafood restaurants were the island’s only other attractions. However, a container park titled Art Park recently opened on the island to provide cultural enjoyments such as art exhibitions, open-air performances, ocean decks and a weekend flea market. ▶Baek Jun-ho / Visitor from Seoul “There are an increasing number of structures being constructed in Seoul using containers. This is a similar structure of an excellent concept.” ▶Shore Walkway There is also a new 800-meter promenade along the shore with benches and open ocean views. The fixtures along this walkway were designed to harmonize with the surrounding environment. ▶Oh Mun-seong / Director General, Hwaseong City Education & Culture Bureau “The number of visitors has increased by approximately 20 percent. We believe that this is reflected in the increased number of young visitors who were attracted to the new cultural and art facilities.” ▶Jebudo Island Reformation Agreement Last year, Gyeonggi Province, Hwaseong (화성) City and the Gyeonggi Creation Center signed an agreement for the Jebu (제부도) Island Reformation Project. ▶Jebudo Receives Red Dot Design Award The designs used in the Jebu Island Reformation Project recently received a Red Dot Design Award from Germany. ▶Cha Jeong-suk / Director, Gyeonggi Province Cultural Policy Division “We will continue to promote culture and art through cultural policies so as to improve the quality of life of our residents.” In addition to the Jebu Reformation Project, Gyeonggi Province is also pursuing an Eco Museum Project to introduce historical, cultural and ecological elements to other coastal areas of the province. Article 5. Kimchi Proven Low in Sodium Levels (170816-2) [Anchor’s Headline] A Gyeonggi health institute recently conducted sodium tests of retail kimchi products and found that the sodium content of such kimchi is lower than that of processed foods including cheese and ham. This is an unexpected result considering that salting is an essential step in making kimchi. Kimchi is one of the most popular and representative foods of Korea. There are diverse types of kimchi with a range tastes. ▶Kim Mal-seon / Suwon City Resident “I eat kimchi during every meal. I like kimchi so much that I cannot live without it.” The sodium levels of kimchi are higher than the daily intake recommended by the World Health Organization. Accordingly, tests were performed to determine the exact sodium content of kimchi products compared to other food items. ▶GTV Reporter Koo Young-Seul “It was revealed that the sodium content of kimchi products is six times less that of cheese products.” ▶Tests Conducted by Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health and Environment The tests were performed by the Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health and Environment. ▶100g of Kimchi Contains 591.4 milligrams of sodium The test results revealed that 100 grams of kimchi contains only 600 milligrams of sodium. [CG] The sodium-to-potassium ratio in kimchi was 2.4 as compared to 13.8 in cheese or ham products. ▶Kim Dae-hwan / Research Official, Gyeonggi Province Institute of Health and Environment “Analysis results revealed that, instead of sodium, the potassium content of kimchi is higher than that of other processed food items. Potassium is known to aid in removing sodium from our bodies.” This means that, while the sodium content of kimchi is low, its greater potassium content helps reduce the effect of sodium on the human body. Such results indicate that there is no scientific basis to people’s concerns about sodium in kimchi and that kimchi is not harmful to our health. Article 6. Ice Show Rallies for Success of Pyeongchang Winter Olympics (170816-3) [Anchor’s Headline]On August 12, with the Pyeongchang (평창) Winter Olympics six months away, Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon (강원) Province and Seoul jointly held an ice show to convey wishes for the success of the games. Our reporter was there. ▶Ice Rink, Goyang City (August 12) August Ice Festa in Gyeonggi This ice show was held at an ice rink in Goyang City. ▶Korean National Figure Skating Players Featured The show featured nine Korean national figure skating team members. There was a performance by a woman skater who won Korea’s first figure skating gold medal in the Asian games, as well as figure skating dance performances by other men and women skaters. ▶Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province and Seoul Cohost This ice show was a symbolic event that served as a precursor to the success of the main Winter Olympic Games. ▶Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jae-yul “Gangwon Province and all of Korea worked hard to prepare for the Winter Olympic Games. Their success will not only be the success of Gangwon Province but also the success of all of Korea and humankind. Let’s us work as one to make it happen. ▶Kim Yuna Featured The ice show also featured Kim Yuna (김연아), who is an honorary ambassador of the Pyeongchang (평창) Winter Olympics. ▶Kim Yuna / Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games Honorary Ambassador “I hope that all of us extend continuous support to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games and to the participating players.” This ice show saw more than 2,300 spectators who braved the heat to watch the show. Gyeonggi Province will continue to promote domestic and international support for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Article 7. Gyeonggi Opens Art Exchanges (170817-1) [Anchor’s Headline] For the first time in Korea, Gyeonggi Province opened an art exchange to provide the public with opportunities to purchase artworks at reasonable prices while helping aspiring artists to connect with buyers. ▶Movie Theater, Bucheon City This sculpture with a picture of a forest and a poignant inion was one of the artworks created by young artists in their 20s and 30s. The prices for the art pieces range from KRW 200,000 to KRW 3 million. Such affordable prices attract the interest of visitors. ▶Kim Chae-yeon / Visitor from Seoul “I expected the prices to be very high. The prices of artworks are in a range that allows me to buy a piece if I don’t spend money on a one-time purchase of clothing.” ▶Gyeonggi Province Art Exchanges Art exchanges have the same facilities as those of art galleries. Today, this art exchange is displaying approximately 200 art pieces. These were created by more than 100 young artists selected by Gyeonggi Province through invitational applications. Located at cinemas and department stores, art exchanges act as valuable sales channels for aspiring artists. ▶Ji-sun / Participating Artist “What is most important is to gain people’s interest. I hope to be able to open a personal exhibition through which I can meet people.” At art exchanges, one can ask curators for explanations and purchaser commendations. Transactions are made on site via simple means of payment. ▶Cha Jeong-suk / Director, Gyeonggi Province Cultural Policy Division “We pay special attention to arrange stable facilities that enable the artworks to be exhibited for longer periods.” ▶Information Available via Art Gyeonggi Website: www.artgg.org The art pieces are being displayed at four locations. Detailed information about art pieces can also be found on the Art Gyeonggi website. After a trial operation period, the formal opening of the Art Exchanges will take place this November. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.08.18
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1. Gyeonggi to Strengthen Privately Invested Expressway Toll Collection (170807-1) [Anchor’s Headline] Toll expressways in Korea have a quick-pass tem titled Hi-Pass Service for subscribed vehicles equipped with automatic payment devices. This tem, however, is frequently abused by non-subscribed drivers who use the Hi-Pass lanes to dodge toll payments. ▶ Uiwang Tollgate, Gwacheon-Uiwang Expressway At this tollgate, through which more than 130,000 vehicles pass on a daily basis, it does not take long until an alarm is generated, indicating a non-subscribed vehicle sped passed the tollgate via a Hi-Pass lane. There are approximately 2,000 such cases daily at this tollgate alone. Although such vehicles are identified by cameras and billed later for the tolls, one out of every four cases remains unresolved. ▶ Kim Sun-jeong / Sales Chief, Gyeonggi Uiwang Tollgate “There are those who neglect payment since the billed amount is small and those who deliberately used the Hi-Pass lanes to doge payment in the first place.” [CG] Last year, more than KRW 1.5 billion in unpaid expressway tolls were billed, costing Gyeonggi Province more than KRW 500 million in extra collection procedures. However, KRW 390 million still remains unpaid, and the amount is increasing. ▶ Gyeonggi to Strengthen Collection of Unpaid Expressway Tolls To resolve this issue, Gyeonggi Province decided to implement more stringent collection procedures while encouraging payment by reducing the penalty for delinquency from ten times to five times the original tolls. ▶ Lee An-se / Director, Gyeonggi Road Policy Division “The revised collection policies are intended to discourage deliberate nonpayment by applying the same legal procedures as those for the non-payment of local taxes, while encouraging payment by applying reduced penalty fees.” In addition, the provincial government will accelerate procedures for the first billing. These revised unpaid toll collection procedures will be applied from this September. To further facilitate unpaid toll collection, Gyeonggi Province has proposed the adoption of easy payment methods to the central government. Article 2. Gyeonggi Supports SMEs in Work Environment Improvement (170807-2) [Anchor’s Headline] In Gyeonggi Province, small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to improve working environments can apply for provincial support of up to 50 percent of the costs. GTV examined the details. ▶ Food Enterprise, Hwaseong City This past March, the resident workers of this food company in Hwaseong (화성) City moved from makeshift container housing to a newly completed employee dormitory. With living conditions greatly improved, the productivity of employees also increased significantly. ▶ Hong Jin-seon / Employee “Living conditions including bathing facilities are wonderful. We can now rest comfortably. That is what helps us improve our work performances most.” This 16-person dormitory cost the company KRW 150 million, of which KRW 30 million was supported by Gyeonggi Province. ▶ An Sang-gyo / CEO “It didn’t seem possible for us to construct fully-equipped housing. Gyeonggi Province’s support was exactly what we needed. Such support is very important for small enterprises.” ▶ Gyeonggi Helps SMEs Improve Working Environments Gyeonggi Province has been providing SMEs with support to help them improve working conditions. ▶ Working Environment Improvement Support Covers up to 50% of Costs Gyeonggi Province’s working environment improvement support covers up to 50 percent of the costs in four improvement categories. ▶ Kim Tae-soo / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Total Business Support Team “A total of 5,700 SMEs benefited from 384 provincial support projects, which also resulted in the creation of more than 300 jobs.” Applications for working environment improvement support are being received by the Total Business Support Team via local governments. Article 3. Nano-Technology Labs Established in Gyeonggi Province (170807-3) [Anchor’s Headline] On August 3, nano-techology laboratories titled Nano C&D Lab opened in Gyeonggi Province. Sponsored by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and operated by the Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center, these laboratories will serve as research centers shared by forerunners and new enterprises in the nano-technology industry of the nation. ▶ Min Byeong-seok / Founder of IoT Sensor Manufacturing Enterprise When Min (민병석) established a business based on nano-technology this past March, he was optimistic. However, he soon faced difficulties moving his business forward. After participating in Nano C&D Lab two months ago, he is now well on the way to commercializing his products using the knowhow of predecessors. ▶ Min Byeong-seok / CEO, Memspec “Working with experienced enterprises had positive effects on our image while enabling us to utilize their resources to start mass production.” At Nano C&D Lab, forerunners offer their resources for use by newcomers while newcomers share their ideas. ▶ Nano C&D Labs Opens in Suwon and Uiwang With operating costs borne by Gyeonggi Province, the first two Nano C&D Labs opened in the cities of Suwon and Uiwang. ▶ Lee Dae-hun / President, the Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center “The key advantage is that forerunning enterprises and new enterprises share their ideas and technologies for mutual benefit by participating in the lab.” The principles of the Nano C&D Lab are connection and development among old and new enterprises in nano-technology fields. ▶ 2 Semiconductor Enterprises Work Together with 30 New Enterprises Currently, two semi-conductor enterprises and 30 new enterprises are participating in joint development efforts. ▶ Jeon Jin-guk / CEO, Okins Electronics “We, as a forerunning enterprise, can reduce time and money for development while new enterprises can grow faster by utilizing the resources we provide.” Based on the results of the initial three years of operations, Gyeonggi Province and the Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center will expand the Nano C&D Lab to enable more enterprises to participate. The Nano C&D Lab of Gyeonggi Province is leading the creation of a new growth engine in this field through connection and development. Article 4. Gyeonggi Provides Dental Care Support to Working-class Children (170808-1) [Anchor’s Headline] The Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center has been providing dental treatment support to children and adolescents in low income brackets. Titled ‘Happy Teeth Project’, these dental services were launched in 2012 with support from large enterprises. ▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Uijeongbu Hospital When 9-year-old Lee’s (이로빈) mother took him to a dentist for a checkup, he was found to have four teeth requiring treatment for decay and two teeth requiring preventive treatment. However, the cost of treatment was beyond the means of his parents. After learning about the Happy Teeth Project, Lee’s mother was able to arrange necessary treatment for her son without having to worry about the cost. ▶ Kim Hyun-jin / Lee’s Mother, Uijeongbu City “I was very pleased that my son could receive treatment thanks to the wonderful welfare policy of Gyeonggi Province.” ▶ Happy Teeth Project, Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center The Happy Teeth Project is a free dental service program operated by the Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center for children in economically limited families. [CG] Happy Teeth services are available to children of 2 to 18 years of age. These services cover dental treatment costs of up to KRW 1.5 million per child. These free dental services had been funded by private enterprises until the Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center took over the service costs last year. ▶ More Than 4,000 Children Benefited To date, more than 4,000 children have received dental treatment under the Happy Teeth Project. More than 1,000 children will be added this year. ▶ Yu Yeong-Wook / Director, Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center “The project will cost more when it is expanded to include orthodontic services. However, we are endeavoring to expand the services even though we have to bare material costs and use talent donations.” ▶ Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Medical Cooperation Team (☎031-250-8863) Those wishing to receive dental treatment support may contact one of the six hospitals of the Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center. Article 5. Trekking Courses along Gyeonggi Rivers (170808-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Along the rivers of Gyeonggi Province, there are a number of recommendable trekking courses that feature cool breezes, tranquil forests and beautiful scenery. ▶ Gangcheon Village, Yeoju County As you walk along this quiet road flanked by tall trees in Yeoju (여주) County, the view suddenly widens to reveal a scenic river. It is part of a 14-kilometer trekking course that runs through peaceful rural villages, forests and rice fields along the South Han River. There are also a museum and a Buddhist temple with a small pavilion in which travelers can rest their feet while overlooking the river. ▶ Gwon Hyuk-jun / Visitor from Seoul “The combination of a river and a Buddhist temple creates rare beautiful scenery. It is cool here. Most of all, the serenity appeals to those who come from the city like myself.” ▶ Paldang Dam A bicycle trail on the north side of the Han River runs through scenes that are regarded as among the most beautiful among those of the four greatest rivers of Korea. This bicycle route features the Paldang (팔당) Dam, as well as narrow passages through forests and an old steel bridge. The beauty of nature peaks where the South and the North Han Rivers meet. ▶ Sim Bok-sun / Visitor from Seoul “I walked along the trekking course and finally arrived here. It was like walking through movie scenes. I feel wonderfully refreshed. There are other riverside trekking courses that are recommended by Gyeonggi Province as ideal summer destinations. These trekking courses feature scenic vistas as well as a variety of geological highlights. ▶ Lee Heung-su / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Tourism Planning Team “We selected the courses based on the recommendations of a renowned travel writer and released detailed information via the Gyeonggi tourism portal site and a mobile app.” Gyeonggi Province plans to identify recommendable trekking courses, bicycle trails and associated tourist destinations and will promote them on a monthly basis. Article 6. Success of Pangyo Techno Valley (170809-1) [Anchor’s Headline] Pangyo Techno Valley achieved great success as Korea’s advanced industrial center, enjoying over 1500 percent growth within the first five years of its establishment. Last year, the total sales of its resident enterprises were over KRW 77 trillion. ▶ Management Consultation Enterprise, Pangyo Techno Valley Since this management consultation company moved to Pangyo Techno Valley five years ago, it has grown rapidly. The number of its clients increased to more than 500 and annual sales more than doubled to KRW 59 billion. The management of this company attributes such growth to the company’s relocation to Pangyo Techno Valley. ▶ Lim Gak-gyun / CEO “The best thing (about being in Pangyo Techno Valley) was that enterprises in the same fields were in the same location and that we could have exchanges with each other. It also offered great advantages in transportation and manpower sourcing.” ▶ Home to 1,306 Enterprises and 74,000 Employees As of 2016, Pangyo Techno Valley was home to 1,306 enterprises and more than 74,000 employees, of which more than 10,000 were added last year alone. ▶ Total Sales Exceeds KRW 77 Trillion The aggregate sales of its resident enterprises amounted to more than KRW 77 trillion. [CG] This is comparable to the gross regional domestic product of autonomous Korean regions such as Busan (부산) and Incheon (인천). [CG] In 2011, there were only 84 resident enterprises in Pangyo Techo Valley with aggregate annual sales of KRW 5 trillion. Sales have increased more than 15 times since then. Gyeonggi Province will continue its efforts to ensure the continuous growth of this advanced technology industrial complex in Seongnam (성남) City. ▶ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “We will do our utmost to ensure the issues raised by resident enterprises are addressed and reflected in future Pangyo Techno Valleys.” The success of Pangyo Techno Valley is attributed to its location, which attracts enterprises as well as quality manpower. Gyeonggi Province is currently working on the development of additional advanced technology industrial complexes including Pangyo Zero City and techno valleys in the cities of Gwangmyeong (광명) and Goyang (고양). Article 7. Gyeonggi to Finance Charity with Electricity Consumption Reduction (170809-2) [Anchor’s Headline] Gyeonggi Province announced the launch of charity projects using funds earned by reducing its electricity consumption. These earnings were realized by reselling the amount of the electricity that the provincial government pledged to reduce. ▶ KINTEX. Goyang City KINTEX, a large exhibition center in Goyang (고양) City, uses large amounts of electricity valued at KRW 4.5 billion monthly on average. Last year, KINTEX signed a contract with the Korea Power Exchange in which KINTEX agreed to reduce electricity consumption by 1,000 kW monthly. This contract also entitled KINTEX to resell the amount of electricity it actually saved. Such resale has earned KINTEX more than KRW 32 million in extra profit. ▶ Eom Jae-ho / Deputy Director, KINTEX Facility Management Team “KINTEX is the second largest electricity-consuming facility in Goyang City. We are taking the lead in participating in government policy, and hope that other smaller organizations will follow.” [CG] KINTEX has been reducing energy consumption by powering down facilities when not in use. The amount of energy saved was resold through Electricity Exchanges. ▶ Electricity Resale Proceeds to Be Used for Charity The proceeds of such electricity resales will be used for charity activities through a project titled ‘Energy Save Back’. ▶ Hong Chang-gwang / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Energy Welfare Team “Currently, 66 buildings of 14 organizations have indicated their intent to participate and targeted 5,000 kW in electricity consumption reduction. This will create income amounting to approximately KRW 150 million.” The charity activities will include the supply of gas safety devices and LPG storage tanks to residents in remote regions. The Energy Save Back project will be implemented from this coming October. Based on the results, Gyeonggi Province will encourage local governments and private organizations to participate in electricity savings and charity activities. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
EnglishNews | 2017.08.10
Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Article 1.Gyeonggi to Create More Public Service Jobs for Seniors(170731-1) [Anchor’s Headline]Gyeonggi Province announced the creation of an additional 2,900 public service jobs for seniors by the end of the year. The provincial government will also increase the salary level for these jobs. ▶Lee Yeongho /Senior Worker Lee (이영호) is one such senior who works at Suwon Hwaseong (수원화성) Fortress as a guide. ▶ [Sync]He was such a devoted son that he was later referred to as the Great King Jeongjo.” In his eighties, Lee is happy that he still can work at his age. ▶Lee Yeong-ho (Aged 81) / Suwon Cultural Asset Guide “I would have been lonely and depressed if I stayed at home, but I smile a lotnow, meeting withpeople and talking with them…” With a salary of KRW 220,000 for 30 hours of work per month, Lee’s position as a cultural asset guide is one of the most sought-afterpublic service jobs offered byGyeonggi Province. ▶Kim Ji-na / Social Worker, Suwon Senior Club “We have 200 to 300 applicants for only about 90 availablejob positions. Most of those who couldn’t get work wait for a long time, even until the next year.” ▶Gyeonggi to Create 2,900 Public Service Jobs for Seniors The creation of these additional jobs follows the ution of the Korean government’s revised supplementary budget for job creation,of which KRW 14.1 billion was allocated to Gyeonggi Province. ▶Monthly Salary to Increase from KRW 220,000 to KRW 270,000 The monthly salary for these senior jobs will also be increased from KRW 220,000 to 270,000. ▶Lee Chang-hui / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Senior Citizens Job Opportunities Team “We will expand employment opportunities for solitary seniors, seniors with limited physical capabilities and individuals with disabilities primarily in services atpublic facilities.” Gyeonggi Province also plans to expand vocational training programs andemployment projects as well as job site creation for economically underprivileged individuals. Article2.Gyeonggi ProvinceHosts 1st Diversity Movie Festival (170731-2) [Anchor’s Headline]On July 28, the first Gyeonggi ProvinceDiversity Movie Festival opened for a two-day run.Gyeonggi Province has been supporting diversity movie production activities that typically face difficulties due to limited funds. ▶Good Morning House (July 28 to 29) The 1st Gyeonggi Province Diversity Movie Festival This relatively modest movie festival was held at Good Morning House, the former Gyeonggigubernatorialresidence remodeled as a guest house. Movies were screened on a large outdoor screen surrounded by nature. ▶[PiP]Ha Ji-yun / Visitor from Suwon City “I am interested in diversity movies. This is a wonderful opportunity to watch these movies in a cool and comfortable outdoor setting.” This movie festival featured five low-cost moviesproduced in Korea and Japan. ▶Five Low-Cost Movies Featured The movies screened included independent movies, experimental movies and documentaries with great artistic value. ▶Lee Chung-ryeol / Director of Movie, ‘Wonangsori’ “There are few opportunities for diversity movies to come closer to the public since these movies have limited access to popular cinemas. I appreciate that Gyeonggi Provinceorganized this festival (for diversity movie promotion)” There were additional features such as open discussions,during which viewers couldtalk with directors and castmembers, as well as musical performances and food trucks. ▶Jeon Bu-yul / Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Contents Infrastructure Team “Beginning with this first diversity movie festival, Gyeonggi Provincewill provide low-cost movies of all genres with continuous support.” This movie festival,which was organized by Gyeonggi Province for the first time, was regarded as a meaningful event for the promotion diversity movies. Article 3.Gyeonggi Coasts Abound with SummerHoliday Destinations(170731-3) [Anchor’s Headline]Along the coasts and rivers inGyeonggi Province, there are a number of fishing villages and portsthat offer diverse enjoymentsto summer holiday seekers. ▶Garamae Village, Yeoncheon County On the banks of this quiet reservoir in a mountainous region, children are excited when they cast fishing lines with expectant eyes. ▶“Come and Bite! Bite!” Some children are soanxious to catch a fish that they keep changing their positions. Fish are cooked on sitefor the additional enjoyment of a picnic lunch. ▶Seo Yun-A / Visitor from Yeoncheon County “I thought that fishing villages existed only on the coast. This is the first time I learned that there are fishing villages along the river, too. And there are many fish here as well.” ▶Gungpyeong Port, Hwaseong City A port on the Yellow Sea is crowded with visitors gathering crabs and shellfish. Akayak race held in this coastal area attracts one and half million spectators annually. ▶Seo Dong-ju / Visitor from Hwaseong City “I was scared of falling into the water at first, but soon was overcome by the joy of catching shrimp with friends.” ▶Fishing Villages for Summer Vacation Abound in Gyeonggi Province There are other fishing villages that feature a variety of diversions such as wild flower colonies on an island and summer ecological experience programs offered by provincial institutes. ▶Information Available via Gyeonggi Province Homepage: http://farm.gg.go.kr Gyeonggi Province fishing village and marine tourism information is available from provincial websites. Article 4.Gyeonggito Eradicate Improper Apartment Construction (170801-1) [Anchor’s Headline]Gyeonggi Province announced measures to eradicatenoncompliance with apartment construction standards. Such measures stem from frequent complaints by apartment owners about defective building componentsand the negligence of constructors in remedying such defects. ▶Apartment Complex, Hwaseong City This apartment complex, which received its first occupantsthis past March, already shows signs of rain water leaking through walls into the underground parking lot. ▶Apartment Resident “When it rains, this place turns into a sauna. Condensationformseverywhere. When we demand correction, theyrespond with vague positive answers without actually taking any action.” The staircaserailings fell off andair vents were located below ground level while paving blocks are placed in a disorderly manner. It took only 24 months to construct these apartments, far shorter than the32 months that it takes for average apartment construction. ▶Rushed Construction Work Results in Defective Buildings Such defects are regarded to have been caused bythe unreasonable rushing of construction work. As a result, a number of new defects were discovered during quality inspections thatthese buildings have alreadyunderwent three times. ▶Gyeonggi Province Announces Improper Apartment ConstructionCountermeasures Gyeonggi Province is determined to eradicate such irresponsible construction practices. ▶Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “Irresponsible construction is not only a bad practice but also an illegal act. Gyeonggi Province will take every action necessary to eradicate such irresponsible apartment construction.” ▶Administrative Penalties and Fines Considered Gyeonggi Province is considering the imposition of administrative penalties and fines onthe construction and inspection companies for this apartment complex. These companies will be subject to continuous monitoring. ▶Hwaseong City Mayor Chae In-seok “We will do our utmost, even pursue the amendment of related laws, to improve housing for our residents.” Gyeonggi Province plans to conduct special inspections of ten apartment complexes, which are being constructed in the province by the same company, before apartment sales begin. Article 5.Gyeonggi Government Building Listed as Modern Cultural Asset (170801-2) [Anchor’s Headline]This year marks the 50th anniversary of the current Gyeonggi Provincial Governmentcentral building in Suwon (수원) City. With anarchitectural design representative ofa style popular in the mid-20thcentury,this building was recently listed as a modern cultural asset together with the former gubernatorial residence. ▶Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex, Suwon City Completed in 1967, the central building of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complexis regarded as being representative of modernistarchitecture. This building was designed by two of the first modernist architects of Korea. ▶An Chang-mo / Cultural Heritage Administration Modern Cultural Asset Division Official “Designed by architects who led modernism in Korea in the 1960s, this building was among the first moderniststructures in the nation. That fact alone makes the building significant in architectural history.” On the rooftop of this building is a ship-like structure that aims to suppress excessive fire chifrom a nearby mountain in accordance with the principles of geomancy. ▶Gyeonggi Provincial Government Buildings Listed as Modern Cultural Assets With its historical and architectural value, the central building of the Gyeonggi Provincial GovernmentComplex and the former gubernatorial residence were designated as modern cultural assets by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea. ▶Do Hyun-seon / Director, Gyeonggi Province Cultural Heritage Division “These buildings are located in the midstof a number of modern cultural assets that exist in Suwon City.” With the addition of these two provincial government buildings, Gyeonggi Province now hosts a total of 71 modern cultural assets. Article 6.Reshaping of Dilapidated SuwonArea Almost Complete (170802-1) [Anchor’s Headline]Having been slow in development and high in crime, the Ji-dong (지동) area of Suwon City had been held in low regard. However, this area is being reborn as a safe neighborhood with its atmosphere improved by pleasant murals andsafe streets. ▶Ji-dong, Suwon City Ji-dong (지동) is situated in a hilly area and features a maze of narrow streets that wind through dense old housingstructures with rundown walls. These walls are now painted in bright colors. Steep roads were freshlypaved and now feature saline sprayers that prevent accidentalslipsduring the winter.Steps were repaired and wooden decks with strong railings were installed where needed. The area around the primary school at the entrance of thisarea was designated as a school zone. In this zone,blind spots were eliminated and street markings and pedestrian crossings were repainted. ▶Ji-dong Safe Ddabok Village Projects70% Complete In 2015, Gyeonggi Province and Suwon City launched six urban environment improvement projects, titled Safe Ddabok (따복) Village Projects, in the Ji-dong (지동) area. ▶Ji-dong Safe DdabokVillage (August 1) On August 1, Gyeonggi Province held a meeting with Ji-dong (지동) residents to review project progress. ▶Lee Wan-mo / Resident Leader “Fire extinguishersare a compulsory feature in public places. However, I believe there are no fire extinguishers in this area.” With projects being approximately 70 percent complete, Gyeonggi Province will continue to heed residents during the remaining work. ▶Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil “Whatever you want done, we will do our utmost to realize in cooperation with the city government.” Introduced in 2015, the Ddabok(따복) Village Projects are local community initiatives supported by Gyeonggi Province. To date approximately 2,400 projects have been launched and more than 40,000 residents have participated in these projects. Article 7.This Year’s DMZ Documentary Festival Comes Closer tothe Public (170802-3) [Anchor’s Headline]Recently, the organizers ofthe DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival revealed the outline of this year’s event,which is slated to begin on September 25. This year’s festival will see three new features including documentary rooms, an online documentary magazine and a documentary podcast service. ▶DMZKorean International Documentary Festival Office Fans were invited to documentary viewings in rooms opened at the festival organizer’s office in Goyang (고양) City.In these rooms, users will be able to view more than 270 documentaries. ▶Park Seong-hye / Visitor from Goyang City “It is very difficult to find the documentary that one is looking for. However, this place makes it so easy. All you need is time to enjoy what you want.” The online documentary magazine is available to readers via computers and mobile phones. ▶DMZ Scope Webzine Provides Documentary Information Titled DMZ Scope Webzine, this online publication features documentary-related articles written by members of the public. The documentary podcast ‘Dynamite Zone’ featuresfree discussions withdocumentary specialists. ▶DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival Slated for September 25 The 9th DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival will open with its three new features on September 25 for an 8-day run under the theme of ‘Documentaries Coming Closer to Citizens.’ ▶Seo Yong-woo / Executive Director, DMZKorean International Documentary Festival “We plan to run special documentary feature programs as well as documentary production workshops at universities on an ongoing basis.” ▶DMZKorean International Documentary FestivalHomepage: www.dmzdocs.com More Information is available from the DMZKorean International Documentary Festival website. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.
