South Gyeongsang Gov. Park Wansu: "Help residents envision the next 10 years" ... Orders concrete mid- to long-term vision development

"We need to flesh out the mid- to long-term vision for the 9th popularly elected provincial administration and set specific goals for each sector, so residents can clearly picture what South Gyeongsang Province will look like in 10 years."

South Gyeongsang Province Governor Park Wansu made the remarks at a meeting of bureau, department and headquarters heads held at the provincial government office on Oct. 19.

South Gyeongsang Province Governor Park Wansu is chairing a meeting of bureau and office heads. [Photo courtesy of South Gyeongsang Province]

Governor Park said, "It is important for the provincial government to work hard, but unless we have a clear vision and goals for the future, we will not have the determination and resolve to make them a reality."

He stressed, "We need to set out a vision and goals for each sector—not only for the 9th administration, but also for what industry and the economy, roads and transportation, infrastructure, welfare, and residents' living standards in South Gyeongsang Province should look like 10 years from now."

He called on the Planning and Coordination Office to "work with relevant departments and agencies to flesh out the mid- to long-term vision as soon as possible."

Governor Park also laid out specific directions for developing key sectors, including the aerospace industry, port logistics and welfare.

On the 2026 Sacheon Airshow, to be held from Oct. 22 to 25 at Sacheon Airfield and elsewhere in Sacheon, he said, "We need to develop it beyond an event centered on basic flight demonstrations and hands-on experiences, turning it into a global industry expo that brings together domestic and international aerospace and defense companies."

"This expo will be a litmus test for the future direction of the Sacheon Aerospace Industry Expo," Governor Park said. "We need to ensure domestic and international companies see South Gyeongsang Province as the center of South Korea's aerospace industry, and that this leads to cooperation with local companies and investment."

Referring both to local companies' participation in the recent fifth launch of the Nuri rocket by manufacturing and assembling key components and supplying satellite payloads, and to the South Gyeongsang Province investment attraction briefing scheduled for Oct. 20 in Seoul, he stressed, "We need to firmly establish among domestic and international companies the perception that they should go to Jinju and Sacheon to do business in the aerospace sector."

He also called for coordinated efforts to attract companies and research institutions, expand transportation infrastructure such as Sacheon Airport and railways, build an industrial support system, and improve living conditions by creating an aerospace-focused city. He urged officials to continue working to expand the West South Gyeongsang Free Economic Zone and secure designation as a mega-specialized zone.

A meeting of bureau, department and headquarters heads is underway in the provincial administration conference room at the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government. [Photo courtesy of Gyeongsangnam-do]

Governor Park also stressed the need for continued improvements to the "Generative AI-Based Integrated Welfare Platform," which South Gyeongsang Province recently became the first metropolitan-level local government to establish.

"Under the current welfare system, people must apply to receive benefits, and as a result, some residents who genuinely need support do not receive it," he said. "We need to keep improving the relevant systems and regulations so that we can move toward automatic or government-initiated applications."

He also said, "Following the recent trial operation of an Arctic route, we need to make specific preparations to develop Jinhae New Port into a hub port for the Arctic route era."

"The role of Jinhae New Port will become even more important as the Arctic route becomes more active," Governor Park said. "We need to work with the central government to expand smart port infrastructure and establish a foundation for growth linked to South Gyeongsang Province's core industries, including shipbuilding and machinery."

He instructed officials to "make steady preparations from now on for the tasks needed to revitalize the port, including training professionals, developing a surrounding city, and building road and rail networks."

Regarding recent economic indicators, including the employment rate and the number of employed people, he said, "Even taking into account the base effect compared with the same period last year, we need to closely examine the overall direction and trends of the regional economy." He called for a comprehensive analysis in cooperation with relevant institutions, including the Bank of Korea.

In preparation for National Assembly reviews of budgets and bills, which will gather pace after the parliamentary audit, he urged officials to make every effort to secure next year's national government funding and pass the Special Act on the Development of the Southern Coast Region and the Special Act on the Construction and Support of an Aerospace-Focused City.

In particular, he said, "I will personally visit the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and relevant lawmakers to ask for their cooperation."

He concluded the meeting by urging officials to do their utmost to manage safety, including preventing accidents as regional festivals and hiking activity increase in the fall, and conducting wildfire prevention activities.

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