Promoting 'Jeonnam Special Self-Governing Province'..."Overcoming local extinction and creating future food"

[Anchor]
Jeollanam-do is pushing for special autonomy to overcome the local extinction crisis and create future food.

Earlier, lawmakers in Jeollanam-do proposed a special bill,
Following the public hearing of South Jeolla Province residents
, efforts are being made to enact special laws within this year, including seminars at the National Assembly.

Reporter Kim Bum-hwan reports.

[Reporter]
Jeollanam-do has 20 local extinction crisis areas out of 22 cities and counties, and the aging rate is 26.5%, ranking first in the country in two areas.

So, 10 lawmakers from Jeollanam-do jointly proposed the "Special Act on the Establishment of Jeollanam-do Special Self-Governing Province" on behalf of lawmaker Moon Geum-joo in June.

[Moon Geum-ju / National Assembly Member (Goheung-gun, Boseong-gun, Jangheung-gun, Gangjin-gun): Mokpo University and Suncheon University dramatically agreed to integrate and host Jeonnam's 30-year-long long-cherished medical school. Jeollanam-do's problem is solved by Jeollanam-do.

The special bill boldly handed over the authority of the central government to local governments so that Jeollanam-do can implement deregulation and customized support policies that reflect regional characteristics.

The seminar held at the National Assembly was followed by presentations and discussions on regional development strategies through the enactment of a special law for Jeollanam-do Province.

[Dr. Kim Dae-sung / Senior Researcher at Jeonnam Research Institute: The goal of overcoming the local extinction crisis is that Jeollanam-do is in the most serious situation through special autonomy, so if it can be solved to some extent, it will have great policy implications and synergy effects in other regions.]

In addition, as Jeollanam-do strongly promotes new energy industries such as 'sea wind power', the transfer of future food licenses and permits was also included in the special bill.

It also calls for customized special provisions for global tourism, logistics, agriculture and fishing, and high-tech industries specialized in Jeollanam-do.

[Kim Young-rok / Governor of Jeollanam-do: The sea of Jeju Island is the same sea, but everything is tied up because the Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province permits it and the Electricity Committee of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy permits it. Jeollanam-do Special Self-Governing Province will be given special authority so that we can ambitiously overcome the local extinction crisis at the level of Jeollanam-do.]

Attention is focusing on whether the establishment of Jeollanam-do Special Self-Governing Province will secure future growth engines and become a priming water to overcome the local extinction crisis by ensuring practical decentralization.

I'm Kim Bum Hwan of YTN.