Governor Nam to Visit Four European Countries for Job Creation and Economic Cooperation

Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil will visit four European countries—Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, and Croatia—from April 30 to May 8 for a nine-day, eight-night trip.

The visit aims to establish a foundation for the more successful promotion of Governor Nam's inclusive market economy policy, including job creation encompassing youth entrepreneurship, and economic policies responding to the Fourth Industrial Revolution combining manufacturing and ICT.

Additionally, the governor plans to explore ways to advance Gyeonggi Province's coalition governance by sharing coalition governance experiences from Germany and Italy.

On May 2, Governor Nam will first meet with Tuscany Regional President Rossi to discuss cooperation plans for the Pangyo Zero City project, startup campus, and open platform construction through the opening of a European Business Center, as well as support policies for fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem. The governor will also explore possibilities for R&D cooperation in the biotech sector.

The governor will also introduce the K-Fashion Village plan for upgrading the textile industry in northern Gyeonggi Province and exchange views on value chain cooperation possibilities between domestic companies and Florence luxury brands.

In Germany, discussions are planned with the Hanns Seidel Foundation and academic experts on German coalition governance experience and institutionalization methods, and an MOU on economic cooperation encompassing diverse sectors including advanced industry, energy, startups, and R&D with Bavaria is also scheduled.

On the afternoon of May 2, Governor Nam will meet with the Vice Premier of Bavaria to introduce successful cases being pursued in both regions to create jobs and lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution through Industry 4.0, innovation clusters, European Business Centers, and startup global networks, and discuss ways to expand cooperation.

Additionally, the governor will visit BMW headquarters to discuss cooperation measures to implement technological capabilities through the construction of an autonomous vehicle testbed, a symbolic project of 'Pangyo Zero City'.

The governor also plans to request participation from BMW's autonomous driving chief and global industry experts in the Big Forum to be held in Pangyo on October 19-20.

On the morning of May 3, the governor will explore ways to advance Gyeonggi Province's coalition governance through a roundtable discussion with German coalition governance experts.

At this roundtable, experts including Ursula Münch, professor of political science at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and Ursula Männle, president of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, will share wide-ranging views on German coalition governance experience at the federal level, policy cooperation methods, and institutionalization approaches, and seek policy implications to apply to Gyeonggi Province's coalition governance.

A provincial official stated, "Tuscany and Bavaria are regions called 'a State in a State' with strong political and economic standing within Italy and Germany respectively, and Gyeonggi Province will establish a solid foundation to strengthen political and economic cooperation with these regions."

Governor Nam will then hold meetings with President Plevneliev and the Mayor of Sofia in Bulgaria on May 4, as well as attend a dinner gathering with members of the Korean-Bulgarian Parliamentary Friendship Association.

At this meeting, ways to expand cooperation between the Startup Campus and Sofia Techpark will be discussed, along with plans to broaden economic cooperation including science and technology and renewable energy. Views will also be exchanged on ways to promote mutual understanding through agriculture, culture, and youth exchanges.

On May 5, the governor will visit Croatia and meet with the Mayor of Dubrovnik.

Through the visit to Croatia, the province expects to gain implications for future cultural heritage preservation and management by sharing the experience of developing Dubrovnik, where the entire Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, as a city preservation space where historic sites and residential areas coexist.