Gyeongsuhyeop members deliver 10 million won in a fund to help neighbors to Gov. Lee Cheol-woo during their meeting on April 5. (Photos: Gyeongsangbuk Province)

Gyeongsangbuk-do’s exports grew six months in a row despite the past year’s hardships caused by COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the economic growth of the province.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Gov. Lee Cheol-woo said, “Amid the dire straits caused by the pandemic for the last year, our exporters’ strenuous efforts to cope with the impact and changes have contributed to restoring exports.”

In particular, entering into this year Gyeongsangbuk-do saw exports shoot up to $6.6 billion between January and February on the back of the booming non-face-to-face industry.

The figure represented a 17.2 percent jump over the same period last year, which saw exports worth $5.68 billion.

Gov. Lee had a meeting with member companies with the Gyeongsangbuk-do Export Companies’ Committee, or Gyeongsuhyeop, on April 5.

Gyeongsuhyeop leaders discussed ways to provide policy support steps to accelerate the recovery of SME companies’ exports in the pandemic era.

They called for support, such as expanding on-line export marketing activities amid difficulties like international marketing, support for logistics costs and overseas certifications.

Gyeongsuhyeop Chairman Bae Young-il said, “As exports are recovering to normal, some businesses are still now not yet showing signs of recovery.”

He expressed hope that Gyeongsasngbuk-do and related export support organizations, well aware of the current situation facing exporters, should work out effective support steps swiftly.

Gov. Lee said overseas market exploration projects such as on-line trade delegations, on-line & off-line exhibitions and on-line trade negotiation sessions, will be implemented over 44 times annually so that exporters can conduct overseas marketing and production, as they did prior to the pandemic.

A project to help SME exporters utilize public organizations’ overseas networks as their branches will be expanded to boost the export industry, Gov. Lee added.

Prior to the meeting, 17 Gyeongsuhyeop leaders donated 10 million won as part of efforts to join a volunteer campaign to spread contribution, one of the provincial government’s steps to reinvigorate people’s livelihood.

Gyeongsangbukdo & Sangju City Strike MOU on Investment with Gava Rice

Gava Rice will set up a food processing plant at the Cheongni General Industrial Complex in Cheongni-myeon, Sangju City, between October 2021 and October 2025.

Gava Rice aims to raise sales from current 3 billion won to 30 billion won by introducing advanced production equipment, expanding new products and increasing its market share.

Sangju City expects Gava Rice to utilize local firms in the implementation of license services, civic engineering and construction projects and hire 180 new employees, including local people, thus contributing to reinvigorating the local economy.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Gov. Lee Cheol-woo explains the significance of the provincial government’s major shift into the green economy of the East Coast at Gyeongbuk’s Dongbu Office on March 3.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Envisages ‘Great Shift into Green Economy on East Coast’

Gyeongsangbuk-do Gov. Lee Cheol-woo is working on the “East Coast Mega Science Valley” with a focus on the nurturing of advanced industries in East Coast areas, including Pohang, Gyeongju, Yeongdeok and Uljin.

Under the stewardship of Gov. Lee, Gyeongsangbuk-do is fleshing out on details, including the development of the Ponghang R&D special zone, a bio/new medicine cluster and a special zone for recycling old batteries.