Gyeonggi Province Develops 'Gyeonggi-style New Deal Policy'…All-out Private-Public Joint Economic Revitalization

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province is making an all-out effort to develop a 'Gyeonggi-style New Deal Policy' to revitalize the region's economy, which has been depressed following COVID-19.

In connection with this, the province held an education session and discussion on the 20th at the provincial office, inviting National Assembly Member Lee So-young (Democratic Party, Uiwang-Gwacheon), an expert in the New Deal sector who is preparing legislation related to the Green New Deal, and targeting officials from relevant departments including the Planning and Coordination Office, Economic Affairs Office, and Environmental Bureau who are participating in developing Gyeonggi-style New Deal projects.

Rep. Lee said, "While past green growth focused on 'developing' the environment, such as the Four Major Rivers Project, the 'Green New Deal' of Korea's New Deal emphasizes creating a sustainable low-carbon economy through batteries, hydrogen, solar power, and wind power."

She added that the European Union plans to introduce a carbon border adjustment tax by 2023, Apple has decided to launch a 'Clean Energy Program' in Korea, and Korea's New Deal aims to build a green-leading nation where people, environment, and growth are in harmony.

Rep. Lee stressed, "Gyeonggi Province has a high proportion of manufacturing value-added, so I propose establishing green industrial complexes through improved energy efficiency, expanded solar power, and utilization of thermal energy, and further promoting welfare-type Green New Deal encompassing industry, agriculture, transportation, and residential sectors."

Previously, Gyeonggi Province formed a 'Gyeonggi-style New Deal Private-Public Task Force' with private experts from various fields participating. The province plans to implement approximately 100 projects in three sectors—Digital New Deal, Green New Deal, and Human New Deal—in stages. The task force appointed Vice Governor Lee Yong-chul as head, and Kim Sun-woo, CEO of Technology and Shared Value, and Lee Won-young, director of the Institute for Territorial Futures at University of Suwon, as co-chairs for the private sector. Overall supervision is handled by the Planning and Coordination Office, while the Economic Affairs Office and Environmental Bureau oversee each Digital, Green, and Human New Deal sector, conducting private-public overall meetings, working-level meetings, and field-specific meetings.

Choi Won-yong, director of the Planning and Coordination Office, said, "The COVID-19 situation is a national disaster, and we are pursuing the development of Gyeonggi-style New Deal policies with the mindset of launching an all-out private-public joint effort to revitalize Gyeonggi Province's depressed economy. We plan to review the reflection of the innovation model proposed by Rep. Lee that simultaneously pursues environment, economy, and welfare, and will soon disclose the Gyeonggi-style New Deal policy."