Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Attaches Priority to Cope with Economic Crisis

Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim Dong-yeon presides over a first meeting of the emergency economic countermeasure committee on June 17. (Photo: Transition Committee for Gov.-elect Kim)

The transition committee for Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim Dong-yeon is inaugurating an emergency economic response regime amid signs of an economic crisis, such as fears of stagflation.

Govern-elect Kim, who is also the former deputy prime-minister and MOEF minister, is heading an emergency economic countermeasure committee. Kim is to take office on July 1.

The transition committee said the formation of a task force had been finished on June 16 and a first meeting of the emergency economic countermeasure committee took place at the Gyeonggi Education Institute the following day.

The emergency economic countermeasure committee, headed by Gov.-elect Kim, plays a leading role.

The committee is forming a cooperative regime with the emergency economic response task force of the transition committee and the emergency economic countermeasure headquarters of the Gyeonggi-do provincial government.

Gov.-elect Kim also heads the emergency economic countermeasure headquarters, whose operation is led by head of the Economy Office of the provincial government. The emergency economic response task force will prioritize minimizing negative impacts of rapid price hikes.

An official of the transition committee said, “The need for taking swift measures and responding to fully fulfill the transition committee’s top priority task of public livelihood reflects Gov.-elect Kim’s determination.”

Diverse measures will be taken immediately to protect the strata that could be buffeted by an economic crisis, the official said.

In addition to the inauguration of the committee, the transition committee plans to announce a 100-day plan to take comprehensive steps to stabilize public livelihood.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon shakes hands with Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim Dong-yeon at their meeting at Seoul City Hall on June 13. (Photo: SMG)

Seoul Mayor Oh Sees Eye to Eye with Gyeonggi Gov.-Elect Kim to Solve Pending Issues

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim Dong-yeon agreed to cooperate in solving pending common issues such as transportation and housing, putting behind their political differences.

Both sides plan to push for the formation of a tripartite cooperative regime among Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Incheon to ramp up cooperation regardless of the ruling and opposition parties.

Seoul Mayor Oh met with Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim at Seoul City Hall on June 13.

Oh said, “By immediately pushing for the formation of a tripartite consultative committee among Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Incheon, it is necessary to minimize inconveniences residents in the Seoul metropolitan area suffer and implement related policies.”

The mayor stressed the necessity of policy collaboration, saying that 25 million citizens reside in the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, and Seoul and the province lead close relations with each other.

Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim said, “There are lots of issues that need to be solved in a metropolitan perspective.”

Kim expressed hope Gyeonggi-do will establish cooperative ties for win-win strategies with Seoul as a good partner based on Seoul Mayor Oh’s open-minded attitude and rational behaviors.

Mayor Oh’s meeting with Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Kim was first since the June 1 local elections. The encounter was said to take place at the request of Gov.-elect Kim. During the brief meeting, the two agreed to form a consultative committee.

They are expected to get down to practical ways of cooperation.

Among common issues shared by Seoul and Gyeonggi-do are the opening of metropolitan bus routes, the expansion of metropolitan Great Train Express railways in the Seoul metropolitan area, the extension of subway lines and sewage landfill sites in the Seoul metropolitan area.