Icheon Mayor Kim Kyung-hee Holds 'Second Hangang Love Forum Inauguration Ceremony'

[Suwon Ilbo=Um In-yong Reporter] Icheon City held the 'Second Hangang Love Forum Inauguration Ceremony' on the 26th in the main conference room of city hall.

The 'Second Hangang Love Forum' was established to promote mutual cooperation and sustainable development in the Capital Area, seek rational improvement of Capital Area regulations to promote win-win and joint development, and explore systematic management methods for water quality in the Hangang basin.

The forum was attended by Song Seok-jun, Member of National Assembly (Icheon City) and co-chairman of the Hangang Love Forum, Icheon Mayor Kim Kyung-hee, Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il, Hanam Mayor Lee Hyun-jae, Uiwang Mayor Kim Sung-je, Yangpyeong County Governor Jeon Jin-seon, Gapyeong County Governor Seo Tae-won, Gwangju Deputy Mayor Kim Chung-beom, Yeoju Deputy Mayor Cho Jung-ah, Gangcheon-shim, Operations Director of Special Cooperation, and Shin Yong-baek, co-chairman, and other members of the Hangang Love Forum.

Additionally, Park Myung-seo, president of the Icheon City Council, Heo Won, chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council Construction and Transportation Committee, and council members from Icheon City, Yongin City, Gwangju City, and Yeoju City attended in large numbers, presenting the difficulties residents are experiencing due to overlapping Capital Area regulations, the aspirations and determination of local residents for rational improvement of location restrictions for regional economic revitalization, and various opinions on regulatory improvements.

This 'Hangang Love Forum' focused on the theme of 'Rational Improvement of Capital Area Regulations,' and all participants agreed on the necessity of rational improvement of Capital Area regulations for win-win development between the Capital Area and non-Capital Area, as excessive growth-suppression-focused regulations under the Capital Area Maintenance Act hinder industrial and infrastructure development in the Capital Area while failing to achieve the original goal of balanced national development.

In particular, at this forum, a resolution for rational improvement of Capital Area regulations was adopted, and participants emphasized that excessive Capital Area regulations are restricting corporate investment and innovation-driven growth, and decreasing foreign capital inflows, thereby weakening national competitiveness. They urged rational improvement of Capital Area regulations and strengthening competitiveness in line with global changes and innovation to promote balanced development across the nation.

The participants reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate, communicate, and respond jointly with each other.

The meeting proceeded with a presentation by Dr. Yu Hyun-ah of the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements on 'Rational Improvement of Capital Area Regulations,' followed by free discussion among Hangang Love Forum members and attendees.

Dr. Yu Hyun-ah, who delivered the presentation, explained the background of the introduction of Capital Area regulations and presented the necessity for rational improvement of Capital Area regulations.

She also emphasized the need to ease overlapping regulations in natural conservation areas and shift from blanket regulations based on administrative districts to differential management according to regional differences such as proximity to the Hangang water system and major transportation corridors.

Icheon Mayor Kim Kyung-hee said, "The government has achieved many regulatory innovation results over the past two years through the Regulatory Reform Promotion Committee directly under the Prime Minister, but economic activities and industrial development have been limited by Capital Area regulations, and many enterprises have lost opportunities for growth and innovation. In line with changes of the times, there is a need to transform the paradigm of Capital Area regulatory policy into one that guarantees autonomy and economic efficiency, provide enterprises with flexible growth opportunities, and strengthen national competitiveness through sustainable development that harmonizes environmental protection and economic development."

Mayor Kim particularly stated, "Existing factories established or approved before the 1984 'Capital Area Maintenance Plan' have lost growth opportunities due to regulations. Even on a temporary basis, regulations should be suspended to give enterprises opportunities to invest and expand facilities, and regulatory relaxation will help strengthen corporate international competitiveness and revitalize the local economy."