Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. 1. Gyeonggi Forms Taskforce to Prevent Anti-North Korean Leaflet Launches (0616-1) Gyeonggi Province has formed a task force to prevent the launch of anti-North Korea leaflet balloons, deeming it to be an act that jeopardizes the lives and safety of local residents. The province also established an emergency network encompassing police offices and border regions as well as southern provincial regions so as to facilitate swift reports of and responses to balloon-launching activities. Potential balloon-launching areas will be closely monitored and those who launch such balloons will be arrested. 2. Gyeonggi Designates 40 SMEs with High Growth Potential as “Star Enterprises” (0618-3) Gyeonggi Province has designated 40 SMEs that have exhibited high growth potential as ‘Star Enterprises’ for 2020. The designated enterprises will receive intensive need-based support in select fields including design development, domestic and international exhibition participation, and marketing. Enterprises located in six cities that receive matching investments – Seongnam, Hwaseong, Yongin, Siheung, Pyeongtaek, and Icheon – will receive support of up to KRW 7.6 million, while those based in other regions will receive up to KRW 3.8 million. ► Kim Gyu-sik, Director General, Gyeonggi Province Economic Planning Bureau “This year, support funds will be disbursed in advance instead of through the usual after-expense settlement method so as to help enterprises overcome COVID-19-related operational difficulties. Through such customized support, we will help them emerge as strong enterprises that represent not just Gyeonggi Province but the nation of Korea.”   3. Gyeonggi Designates Summer Heatwave Response Period (0612-2) Gyeonggi Province recently designated the period until September 30 as a “Heatwave Response Period”, during which special response measures will be implemented by the Gyeonggi Disaster and Safety Headquarters. During this period, the province will allocate a total of KRW 12.6 billion for the installation of heat shelters, such as smart tents and parasols, as well as for the planting of shade trees at more than 2,000 locations. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 during this period, indoor heat shelters will remain closed while the use of artificial mist facilities and fountains will be discouraged. ► Kim Nam-geun, Director, Gyeonggi Province Natural Disaster Division “We have increased the number of heat shelters from 3,610 to 5,615 this year. We will maintain heat response capabilities through the proactive operation of the heatwave management taskforces and via the Gyeonggi Disaster and Safety Headquarters.” 4. Gyeonggi Designates Anti-North Korean Leaflet Balloon Launch Risk Areas (0618-1) Gyeonggi Province has issued its first administrative order to prevent the launch of anti-North Korean leaflet balloons. In addition to the issuance of this order, which specifies risk areas and prohibited activities, warnings were posted jointly with Pocheon (포천) City at high-pressure gas facilities. The warnings were posted by 38 personnel including the Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace as well as officials of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police, Pocheon City and Korea Gas Safety Corporation in addition to fire and emergency rescue personnel. ► Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang “We will firmly block leaflet balloon launches and prevent such activities at their origins. We will mobilize all administrative and authoritative power to that end.”   5. Gyeonggi Uncovers Large Number of Bad Egg Sellers and Users (0615-1) During a recent crackdown in Gyeonggi Province on the distribution and usage of bad eggs, including those with broken shells, a large number of violators were apprehended. The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police announced that among the 424 egg distributors and restaurants it investigated during the period from April 27 to May 8, a total of 68 violations were uncovered at 65 locations. ► Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Superintendent In-Chi-gwon “Distributors purchase the (bad) eggs from egg farmers, usually for KRW 400 (per packet). They then sell these eggs to restaurants for KRW 1,000. Compared to their normal purchase prices, which range from KRW 3,500 to 3,800, restaurants save more than KRW 2,000.” 6. Gyeonggi’s Apartment Repair Support Program Proves Effective (0617-1) Gyeonggi Province’s design-drawing support program for apartment repairs has proven effective in reducing costs while improving construction quality for residents. Out of a total of 18 sites that received free provincial design-drawing support during the period from January to May this year, 15 benefited from this program through reduced expenditures. The remaining 6 sites also benefited from the program, which helped improve safety elements through work specification reviews. ► Shin Uk-ho, Director, Gyeonggi Province Apartment Housing Division “We will expand the apartment technical consultation services so as to enable more residents to benefit from its services while also ensuring that apartment management is transparent and efficient.” 7. Gyeonggi Resumes Supply of Fruit to Childcare Centers (0615-2) After a long COVID-19-induced suspension period, Gyeonggi Province resumed the regular supply of fruit to childcare centers from June 15. From last year, the province had been supplying a variety of fruits once or twice weekly to 367,000 children at all childcare centers, local children’s centers and children’s homes in the province. In order to promote healthy dietary habits among children, the province will supply free locally produced fruit to these facilities a total of 43 times this year. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV We look forward to seeing you again next week.