Gyeonggi Province Unveils Organizational Restructuring Plan...Establishing 3 New Departments with Focus on Future

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] The eighth-term provincial reorganization plan pushed forward by Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon to realize 'Gyeonggi, the Center of Change and Opportunity' is taking shape.

On the 26th, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will conduct a legislative notice period for the eighth-term organizational restructuring plan, which includes the establishment and reorganization of the Future Growth Industry Bureau, Social Economy Bureau, and Livestock Animal Welfare Bureau, and plans to finalize it after deliberation by the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly.

Ryu In-gwon, Director of Planning and Coordination at Gyeonggi Province, said "The most significant characteristic of this organizational restructuring plan is that it was prepared in a way that implements major campaign organizations to realize the eighth-term Gyeonggi Province's three major visions of 'more opportunities, more equitable opportunities, and better opportunities,'" and "We sought to actively reflect contemporary trends such as the so-called five opportunity packages—opportunity ladder, opportunity income, opportunity safety net, opportunity hub, and opportunity foundation—as well as the environment, labor safety, and animal welfare."

Looking at the specific details of the organizational restructuring plan, the province first strengthened economy-related organizations with the goal of economic growth and leading future industries.

The province will establish the 'Future Growth Industry Bureau' to exclusively handle advanced industry development and corporate innovation growth support, and will establish subordinate departments including the Digital Innovation Division, Semiconductor Industry Division, Advanced Mobility Industry Division, and Biotechnology Industry Division.

The Future Growth Industry Bureau will be responsible for actively responding to intensified competition in advanced industries, the reorganization of global supply chains, and the acceleration of digital transformation in industrial structure, while taking the lead in creating future growth businesses.

To strengthen climate crisis response capabilities and enhance industrial competitiveness through carbon neutral implementation, the province will reorganize the Environment Bureau into the 'Climate Environment and Energy Bureau,' while changing the names of the Forestry Division and Parks and Greenbelt Division to the Forest and Greenbelt Division and Garden Industry Division, respectively.

The province will also establish the 'Social Economy Bureau' to serve as a greater 'opportunity repository' for Gyeonggi Province residents.

The province will establish the Social Venture Economy Division to promote the Social Innovation Complex Project to be built on the former provincial government site located in Paldal-gu, Suwon, and the Baby Boomer Opportunity Division to provide better opportunities for the baby boomer generation, which has been excluded from systematic support so far.

In addition, it will change the name of the Youth Welfare Policy Division to the Youth Opportunity Division, and ensure that more equitable opportunities are provided regardless of generation and class—such as youth, baby boomers, artists, and social venture workers—while expanding social value.

To reflect contemporary demands for labor safety and animal welfare, the province will establish the Labor Safety Division to strengthen the industrial workplace labor safety net, reorganize the Forestry and Livestock Bureau into the 'Livestock Animal Welfare Bureau,' and establish the Companion Animal Division to implement advanced animal welfare policies.

New organizations will also be established for key eighth-term campaign promises, including the regeneration of first and second-phase old new towns and original city centers, the establishment of a special autonomous province for Northern Gyeonggi, and the attraction of Gyeonggi International Airport.

The province plans to establish the 'Urban Regeneration Task Force,' 'Northern Gyeonggi Special Autonomous Province Task Force,' and 'Gyeonggi International Airport Task Force' as dedicated organizations under the grade-3 administrator system and will place each directly under the supervision of the relevant vice-governor.

This organizational restructuring plan will be supplemented after gathering opinions during a 20-day legislative notice period.