Gyeongsangnam-do Governor Park Wansu: "Government's Preferential Policies for Local Areas Don't Match Local Realities"

"Local governments are working hard to grow, but government policies are failing to keep pace with conditions on the ground."

At an expanded executive meeting on November 2, Gyeongsangnam-do Governor Park Wansu stressed the need for improvement, saying that the government's policies for locally led growth and preferential treatment for local areas instead neglect them and fail to reflect local conditions.

Governor Park pointed out, "The government emphasizes locally led growth and preferential policies for local areas, but a closer look at the actual policies shows that quite a few either increase the burden on local governments or are implemented with a focus on the Seoul metropolitan area."

Gyeongsangnam Province Governor Park Wansu chairs an expanded executive meeting. [Photo provided by Gyeongsangnam Province]

He cited the Future Response Fund and the basic income program for farming and fishing communities as factors making local government finances more difficult.

Governor Park said, "Local governments need to increase their fiscal revenue and reduce their spending burden. Yet, under the pretext of the Future Response Fund, funding such as grants that would otherwise go to local governments is being cut, while the costs they must bear for programs such as the basic income for farming and fishing communities are actually increasing." He added, "The government's approach to providing fiscal support needs to be improved."

He also said, "While the Seoul metropolitan area is lifting development restrictions to increase housing supply, local areas facing population decline and the risk of regional extinction are subject to even tighter regulations on farmland, and even lifting development restrictions is difficult." He asked, "Does the government see only the Seoul metropolitan area and not the regions?"

He continued, "Rising housing prices are a problem in the Seoul metropolitan area, but local housing markets face entirely different conditions, including prolonged periods of unsold homes." He added, "The government's real estate policies should be implemented with the realities of the Seoul metropolitan area and local regions considered separately."

Governor Park also called on the government to take more active measures regarding the metropolitan transportation network.

He said, "Despite the huge budget invested in the Bujeon-Masan double-track railway, its opening has been delayed for more than 10 years. More than 20 years have passed since the need for Gadeokdo New Airport was first raised, and construction has yet to begin even three years after the basic plan was announced."

He also said, "Gimhae Airport, used by 8 million residents of the Yeongnam region, is already at capacity, yet even improvements to its facilities are being restricted on the grounds that Gadeokdo New Airport is being built." He added, "Even if construction begins now, it will take another 10 years for the new airport to become fully operational, and residents of Gyeongsangnam-do will face inconvenience until then." He urged the government to expedite construction of Gadeokdo New Airport and develop measures to ease inconvenience for Gimhae Airport passengers.

An expanded executive meeting is underway in the provincial administration conference room at the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government. [Photo provided by Gyeongsangnam-do]

Governor Park also called for expanding the scope of the government's preferential policies for local areas so they can lead to actual regional development.

Governor Park said, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is working to introduce a 'Preferential Treatment Index for Local Areas' that takes into account regional conditions and the risk of population decline, but few projects are currently covered." He instructed officials to "identify projects needed in Gyeongsangnam-do and actively urge the government to apply the index to areas such as increasing the national government's share of funding for government-subsidized projects."

He also said, "Gyeongsangnam-do has attracted more than 10 trillion won in investment for two consecutive years, but what matters is that companies actually set up operations and conduct industrial activities here." He urged officials to "further strengthen efforts to build Gyeongsangnam-do's own growth drivers, including attracting companies in future industries such as aerospace, small modular reactors (SMRs), and physical AI, alongside institutional support from the government."

Regarding the Aerospace and Defense Industry Expo, held for the first time in October alongside the Sacheon Airshow, he said, "It received positive reviews despite being held for the first time, so we should develop it into a world-class defense industry exhibition." He added, "Research and development, business attraction, investment, and exhibitions must all take place together for Gyeongsangnam-do to establish itself as a true hub for the aerospace industry."

He also called for using AI across public administration, including transportation, culture, healthcare, and disaster response, following the launch of an AI-based integrated welfare platform, and for actively identifying services that residents can experience firsthand. He added that officials should also consider effective ways to implement the initiative, such as forming a dedicated task force.

Gyeongsangnam-do plans to develop specific measures to address the local fiscal issues and regional concerns raised at the meeting and submit them to the central government. It will also continue to pursue key provincial initiatives, including attracting investment, fostering future industries, and driving AI-powered administrative innovation.

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