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 Governor Announces Measures to Curb COVID-19 Spread by Club Goers (0511-1) Following the recent emergence of a new COVID-19 cluster linked to visitors to nightclubs in the Itaewon area of Seoul, Gyeonggi Province introduced a new policy that enables anyone to be tested during a one-week period without having to reveal details about their movements or activities. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (May 10) Gyeonggi Governor’s Press Conference on COVID-19 Group Infection Involving Itaewon Nightclubs Making this announcement during a press conference on May 10, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung (이재명) added that he has also issued a 2-week ban on gatherings at all entertainment facilities in the province including clubs and bars. ► Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung “I have resisted issuing closure orders for business establishments due to various economic reasons. However, I had to order this ban on gatherings so as to eliminate the possibility of the spread (of COVID-19) at points of origin…” ► Violators Subject to Fines of up to KRW 3 Million According to this ban, gatherings at all entertainment businesses, regardless of their types, are prohibited. Patrons and business owners found in violation will be subject to fines of up to KRW 3 million. ► 2-Week Personal Contact Prohibition for Visitors to Affected Clubs In addition, individuals who go to clubs or other sites that have been visited by COVID-19 carriers are also prohibited from contacting other persons for two weeks from the date of such visits. Violators will be subject to imprisonment of up to 2 years or a fine of up to KRW 20 million. ► Screening Tests Without Identification Checks to Prevent Sexual Minority Discrimination For a period of one week, individuals will be allowed to take COVID-19 tests without having to reveal the details of their visits. This is to encourage members of sexual minorities to undertake testing without fear of repercussions. ► Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung “Considering the characteristics of club-goers, the possibility of secondary infections spreading at their job sites, schools, military bases or hospitals is very high. It is not an exaggeration to say that the prevention of large tertiary group infections depends on adherence to guidelines for social distancing.” ► Gyeonggi Investigates Club Visitors While Urging Residents to Observe Personal Quarantine Guidelines After the announcement, Governor Lee offered assurances that the province is doing its utmost to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through investigations of individuals and facilities at risk as well as through extensive sterilization efforts. Governor Lee asked residents to observe related personal guidelines and to cooperate with provincial measures.   2. Gyeonggi Small Businesses Benefit from Disaster-related Basic Income (0511-2) In Gyeonggi Province, the number of consumers using the local currency they received through disaster-related basic income payments has increased significantly, helping small businesses recover from COVID-19-inflicted difficulties. ► Baran Mansae Market, Hwaseong City (May 6) For the past three months, business at flower shops has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ► Sales Increase as More Customers Pay with Local Currency However, since mid-April, this flower shop in Hwaseong (화성) City has been seeing spending by customers with local currency gradually increase. ► Lee Hyo-jeong, Flower Shop Owner, Balan Mansae Market, Hwaseong, City “Approximately 50 percent of customers are paying with local currency. I can say that local currency is helping us a lot. Just like giving a blood infusion to a patient, it is helping the recovery of the local economy, which had shrunk during the COVID-19 pandemic…” ► Kang Jang-seon, Local Currency User “There was an event in Hwaseong City through which those who purchased KRW 200,000 of local currency received an additional KRW 100,000 in local currency of as a bonus. With that, I also received local currency as disaster-related income. So, I came here (to use the local currency).” ► Motgol General Market, Suwon City Signs of economic recovery are also visible at traditional markets. ► Many Shoppers Return to Markets Even in Daytime There are a lot of shoppers even though its daytime on a weekday. Putting the days of losses during the COVID-19 pandemic behind them, merchants are smiling again as customers return. [Sync] Reporter / Lim Eun-taek, Merchant “I am curious about how many customers are paying with local currency.” / “I would say 60 to 70 percent. The number of customers began to increase about a week ago.” ► Special Local Currency Discounts with Self-made Advertising With the number of local currency users increasing, more and more shops are offering 5 percent discounts on payments made with local currency. Since many shoppers ask, and to prevent them from leaving if uncertain about the acceptability of local currency, some shops display advertising that they created themselves. [Sync] Reporter / Oh Bok-sun, Merchant “Why did you post this?” / “…many customers ask if they can use local currency at this shop. If they see this while passing, they will know that they can, won’t they?” Empathizing with the concept of local currency, consumers are seeking traditional markets. ► Yang Myeong-suk, Shopper, Suwon City “I made time to come to the market and use the (disaster-related basic income) card. After receiving the payment, I realized it really helps in living…” There are numerous online comments about local currency and disaster-related basic income being helpful for both users and merchants. This response measure is helping the economy recover from the impact of COVID-19.  3. 2nd Gyeonggi Province Independent Baseball League Opens (0511-3) On May 8, the 2nd Gyeonggi Province Independent Baseball League opened. During the 5-month league season, a total of 120 matches will be played by 5 independent baseball teams. ► Team-up Campus, Gwangju City 2nd Gyeonggi Province League of Independent Baseball Teams The opening game took place at the Team-up Campus in Gwangju (광주) City. ► 130+ Players in 5 Teams Participate More than 130 players will participate in this league in 5 teams, including the Yeongcheon (연천) Miracle, the Goyang (고양) Winners, and the Paju (파주) Challengers, as well as the newly founded Seongnam (성남) Magpies and Yongin (용인) Bbaddahyeong (빠따형). ► Gil Na-on, Goyang Winners Independent Baseball Team “Our goal is to make the other teams look at us differently by winning the championship with a big lead.” ► 120 Games to Be Played by October During the league season, which will run for 5 months until October, team rankings will be decided through 115 games with each team playing 46 matches. The league championship will be decided through 5 final matches. ► Kim In-sik, Yeongcheon Miracle Independent Baseball Team Coach “With pro baseball having nationwide popularity, we haven’t had much infrastructure for ourselves. However, we are working hard to hone our talent so that our players can become pros by playing in 3rd-tier teams.” This independent baseball league, the first of its kind in Korea, was organized by Gyeonggi Province last year to help aspiring pro baseball players join professional teams. Participating teams are provided with operational support as well as opportunities to participate in exchange games with independent domestic and overseas teams as well as in test matches for pro team scouting. ► Won Chun-hui, Director, Gyeonggi Province Sports Division “To the baseball association’s suggestion for (league) expansion, Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly responded positively by doubling the budget. We will continue to promote league operations.” Last year, among the players who participated in the Gyeonggi Province Independent Baseball League, five realized their dream of joining pro baseball teams.   4. Illegal River and Mountain Stream Occupiers Apprehended in Gyeonggi (0512-1) In Gyeonggi Province, a large number of individuals who have misused river or mountain stream areas were apprehended. This included those who constructed structures in these areas without permission or who failed to comply with restoration orders. ► Daljeon River, Gapyeong County These commercial riverside bungalows in Gapyeong (가평) Country were constructed without local government permission. [Sync] “You are illegally occupying government property. If you don’t remove the structures, you will be charged and fined, and these structures will be subjected to administrative procedures and demolished.” Upon hearing this official’s explanation, the occupier responds audaciously. [Sync] “How dare you say the word demolish. I will file a lawsuit, too…” He even tears up the official notification. [Sync] “I don’t need such a thing. I say I don’t need that.” ► 16 Businesses in Gapyeong County Apprehended for Illegal Riverside Business Activities During recent investigations of illegal occupation of river areas in Gapyeong (가평) County, the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police uncovered violations at 16 locations. ► Occupation or Use of River Areas without Permission, Neglect of Restoration Orders Of these, 15 cases pertained to the use of river areas without permission. There was also a case of restoration orders being ignored passed the deadline. The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police sent all apprehended violators to prosecution and referred to local government authorities for the restoration of locations to their original states. ► Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Superintendent In Chi-gwon “We believe that there are short-term illegal activities that make use of mobile facilities. We plan to crackdown on such activities at all rivers in the province in June.” During the investigations, the judicial police advised illegal facility operators at 32 locations to voluntarily remove facilities. Of these, 25 have been removed as directed.   5. Illegally Occupied Provincial Land Plots Reborn as Garden Park (0512-2) Gyeonggi Province opened a garden park known as the ‘Gyeonggi Resting Garden’ in Yongin (용인) City on provincially owned land plots that had been used by residents without permission. ► Gyeonggi Resting Garden, Gongse-dong, Yongin City In this vibrant garden of flowers and trees, some passing residents are resting while others exercise. ► ‘Gyeonggi Resting Garden’ Developed on Recovered Provincial Land Plots This is the first Gyeonggi Resting Garden opened by the province using a collection of provincially owned land plots. These land plots have been troublesome since their locations were scattered and therefore hard to manage. However, they have been transformed into an attractive garden in a change welcomed by local residents. ► Kim Dong-gyu, Local Resident, Yongin City “It has raised eyebrows that people were using land plots that weren’t theirs for vegetable gardens. We are pleased with the transformation of the land plots into a resting garden with flowers and trees by Gyeonggi Province.” ► First ‘Gyeonggi Resting Garden’ Gyeonggi Province allocated KRW 320 million to develop this garden on a total area of more than 3,000 square meters. ► Resting Space for Residents Developed after Clearance of Illegal Cultivation and Occupation Gyeonggi Province developed this garden so as to prevent the illegal use of provincially owned land plots while also providing local residents with a green space for rest and the enjoyment of nature. ► Lee Tae-seon, Deputy Director, Gyeonggi Province Garden Culture Team “This place had been an eyesore with illegal cultivation and illegally placed containers. We have transformed that unsightly place into a resting garden for local residents.” ► Gyeonggi to Continue to Develop Community Gardens Gyeonggi Province will continue to develop publicly owned and idle land plots into community gardens through various garden development programs.   6. Gyeonggi Restores Natural Resorts by Removing 96% of Illegal Structures (0513-1) Gyeonggi Province has been pursuing the restoration of river and mountain stream areas through the removal of illegal structures that had been occupying these areas. To date, 96 percent of these structures have been removed with rivers and mountain valleys restored for residents to enjoy. ► Mountain Valley in Gogi-dong, Yongin City This mountain valley in Yongin (용인) City, which used to be covered with illegal structures, now features benches and pristine natural surroundings. This place had been marred by illegal businesses that charged visitors for access. Thanks to Gyeonggi Province’s ‘Clean River and Mountain Stream Restoration Project,’ it has recovered its natural beauty. ► Lim Seong-hwa, Visitor from Suwon City “There used be business facilities that charged exorbitant prices here. With such facilities and charges removed, this place has become much cleaner and we can now enjoy it more.” ► Approximately 96% of Illegal Structures in Natural Resort Areas Removed In less than a year since the restoration project began, illegal structures at more than 1,300 locations in provincial river and mountain stream areas have been removed. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (May 8) Presentation of Gyeonggi Mountain Valley Restoration Results Launched last June, the ‘Clean River and Mountain Stream Restoration Project’ will be completed this July. ► Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung “It is an important task for us to restore such places for all people of the nation to visit and enjoy. It is also an important task for us to help businesses operate and their owners live in better environments.” ► Gyeonggi to Provide Illegal Structure Residents with Relocation Support For those who have been living in the removed illegal structures, Gyeonggi Province plans to help with their relocation based on investigations of their violations and personal economic status.   7. Gyeonggi Expands ‘Happy Livestock Farm’ Certification System (0513-2) With public concern about food safety and livestock environments increasing, Gyeonggi Province’s ‘Happy Livestock Farm’ certification system is drawing increased interest from farmers. ► Alchan Egg Farm, Mang-ri, Yongin City This chicken farm raises more than 12,000 free-range chickens with an average area of 3.3 square meters per 20 chickens. In the chicken houses, chickens run freely and bathe in sand disinfected by sunlight. Raised this way, chickens develop stronger immunities and are less prone to diseases, thereby negating the need for pesticides. ► Park Jin-yong, Alchan Egg Farm Owner “It seems much better for chickens to take sand baths, rest on perches, run around, and enjoy the sun. The quality of the eggs produced by these hens says it all.” Gyeonggi Happy Livestock Farm certification is granted to farms that ensure good animal welfare and maintain good livestock environments. ► Gyeonggi Introduces Korea’s First ‘Happy Livestock Farm’ Certification System This certification system, the first of its kind in Korea, was introduced by Gyeonggi Province in 2017 through the enactment of a related ordinance. Certification is granted to cattle, pig and chicken farms based on site evaluations and advisory committee deliberations. ► Multifaceted Provincial Support Provided to Certified Farms Certified farms are provided with multifaceted support including assistance with school meal supplier participation, facility improvement and disease control. ► 161 Farms Apply for This Year’s Targeted Certification of Approximately 40 Farms This year, 161 farms applied for certification that is available to 40 farms, indicating the high interest in the certification system. ► Lee Gang-yeong, Director, Gyeonggi Province Livestock Policy Division “Through an ordinance amendment, Gyeonggi Province will provide certified farms with marketing support including sales for school meals.” As of the end of 2019, a total of 89 livestock farms have received Happy Livestock Farm certification and are producing certified, safe livestock products. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.