Governor Won-Taek Lee Takes Action to Secure "Jeonbuk's Share" Amid Concerns of Exclusion from "Mega Projects"

Emphasizing Expansion of Saemangeum Authority and Fostering Future Industries

Won-Taek Lee, Governor of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, is focusing the provincial administration's efforts on strengthening the region's growth foundation, with the development of Saemangeum and the expansion of special self-governing authority as key pillars. The plan is to enhance future competitiveness by expanding core social overhead capital (SOC), securing national budget allocations, and attracting public institutions, while also moving forward with establishing an independent metropolitan administrative system for the Saemangeum area.

Won-Taek Lee, Governor of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, is holding his first press conference at the provincial government office on the 13th. Provided by Jeonbuk Provincial Government Office

On the 13th, Governor Lee held a press conference and announced key initiatives that outline the core blueprint for the ninth popularly elected administration of the province.

During the briefing, Governor Lee drew attention by highlighting the importance of "securing Jeonbuk's share" as one of the province's core tasks, in response to concerns about Jeonbuk being left out of the government's mega projects. He emphasized that the administration will focus on policies to expand Jeonbuk's authority and secure the foundation for future growth.

Governor Lee is prioritizing the revision of the Saemangeum Master Plan to expand land designated for advanced industries, build core SOC, and secure a stable supply of industrial water—directly reflecting the region's major needs. In addition, there are plans to further amend the Jeonbuk Special Act to expand special self-governing rights and industrial sector exceptions.

He also plans to strengthen ultra-wide regional cooperation aligned with the government's "Five Major Axes and Three Special Zones" national balanced development strategy, and to broaden the foundation for fostering future industries centered around Saemangeum to secure new regional growth engines.

The province is also working to attract public institutions linked to strategic sectors such as finance, agricultural biotechnology, and physical AI, while making steady progress in securing the national budget and preparing to bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics, all aimed at enhancing Jeonbuk's future competitiveness.

The reorganization of the administrative system in the Saemangeum area will also proceed in earnest. To promote the organic development and administrative efficiency of Saemangeum, Governor Lee is pushing to form a joint task force with three participating cities and counties, and discussions with the relevant local governments will begin in July.

Governor Lee stated, "The ninth popularly elected administration marks an important turning point where residents will directly experience changes in their livelihoods and the realization of resident sovereignty. We will steadfastly pursue open governance, the recovery of the people's economy, the fostering of future industries, and the expansion of Jeonbuk's authority, to deliver tangible results that our residents can truly feel."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.