Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun Visits Gijang County to Discuss Urban Railway and Other Local Issues

[Financial News] Gijang County, Busan, said on the 11th that Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun visited the Gijang County Office on the 10th and discussed various local issues, including the Gijang–Ilgwang Line, with County Governor Woo Seong-bin.


Park and other senior government officials visited the Gijang County Public Health Center that day to hear from those working in local healthcare.
Governor Woo told Park, "Local public health centers are grassroots healthcare facilities that care for residents' health from the place closest to them. The role of the Gijang County Public Health Center is more important than ever amid rapidly progressing population aging. I hope the national government will also pay attention to local healthcare."
Park replied, "The government is building a locally integrated healthcare system, from regional hub medical institutions to public health centers on the front lines. Accordingly, we will pay attention to and provide support for improving Gijang County's local healthcare environment. We will carefully examine the support needed so that the public health center closest to residents can fully perform its role."
During the subsequent meeting, the county governor explained the major projects currently facing the county and requested active support for key long-standing projects, including an exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for the Gijang–Ilgwang Line and the early construction of the Jeonggwan Line. He also added that government support was needed to establish the Gijang County Youth Center to create jobs for local young people.
Governor Woo said, "Gijang County is a large nuclear power plant cluster with 10 nuclear reactors, making the expansion of urban railways essential for the safety of county residents. I ask you to lend your support to Gijang's urban railway projects in accordance with the fundamental principle that special sacrifices require special compensation."
He continued, "Please expedite the administrative procedures for the Jeonggwan Line, which has passed the preliminary feasibility study, and actively consider the Gijang–Ilgwang Line, for which a project to review exemption from the preliminary feasibility study is currently under consideration. I ask for your special attention and active support so that the county's major core issues can be substantively reflected in national policies and budgets."
Park responded, "As Gijang County is currently growing rapidly, I understand the need for urban railways. We will examine the metropolitan railway project closely so that, after thorough consultations with Busan, it can be reflected in the government's policy process."
[email protected] Byun Ok-hwan Reporter