Governor Nam Kyung-pil Holds First Meeting with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok on the 23rd

Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil will hold his first meeting with Seoul Metropolitan Mayor Park Won-soon and Incheon Metropolitan Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok to establish a 'Capital Region Policy Coordination Council.'

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 21st, Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul, and Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok of Incheon will have a luncheon together at the Korea Press Center at noon on the 23rd.

The three provincial and municipal leaders are expected to agree on the formation of a Capital Region Policy Coordination Council to discuss common agendas among Gyeonggi, Seoul, and Incheon for the promotion of residents' happiness and regional development.

A Gyeonggi Province official stated, "The three provincial and municipal leaders share the recognition that Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi form a single living sphere and economic zone, and that joint cooperation regardless of party affiliation is necessary for capital region development and improvement of residents' quality of life," and added, "Through the Capital Region Policy Coordination Council, we will discuss common interests among the three provinces and cities such as safety, economy, transportation, housing, and environment."

In particular, the province plans to seek solutions to the issue of standing passenger restrictions on express intercity buses, which has recently become a pressing matter, through this policy coordination council. The province will present measures including the installation of multi-transfer terminals to handle intercity bus demand linked between regions and expansion of commute-type morning express intercity buses, while promoting cooperation with Seoul and Incheon.

Additionally, the province plans to designate and address the following as major agenda items in future council meetings: ▲securing autonomous revenue through increased local consumption tax rates, ▲strengthening cooperation among the capital region for rapid response in case of large-scale disasters, ▲prompt promotion of the Capital Region Express Rail Transit (GTX), and ▲deregulation for balanced development of the capital region.

The Capital Region Policy Coordination Council will hold regular meetings twice a year in principle. No separate secretariat will be established, but the head of the city or province hosting the meeting will serve as chairperson, and the secretariat functions will be handled by the hosting city or province's policy planning officer.