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 Pursues Eradication of Illegal Real Estate Transactions (0504-1) Gyeonggi Province announced a policy to eradicate real estate transaction-related crimes. This policy is comprised of a number of proactive measures including those for the pre-emptive identification of speculative investment risk areas and others for the prevention of such investments. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (May 4) Announcement of Illegal Real Estate Transaction Eradication Policy Announced on May 4, this policy is geared to eradicate illegal real estate brokerage practices as well as speculative investments through effective, practical measures. ► Kim Jun-taek, Assistant Governor, Gyeonggi Province Urban Housing Office “The province will endeavor to establish a fair and transparent real estate transaction order, ensure housing stability and prevent damage to residents through (the implementation of) strong measures for the eradication of illegal transaction activities and speculative investments in real estate.” ► Permission-based Land Transaction Areas to Be Designated to Prevent Illegal Real Estate Sales To eradicate abnormal real estate sales activities, the province will expand the designation of permission-based land transaction areas and continuously monitor such activities. ► Kim Jun-taek, Assistant Governor, Gyeonggi Province Urban Housing Office “The province will also operate Korea’s first planned real estate sales alert system… while monitoring land transactions within the province.” ► Illegal Real Estate Transaction Risk Areas to Be Disclosed on Gyeonggi Real Estate Portal Gyeonggi Province will release real estate sales risk area lists to prevent residents from incurring damage. ► Transaction Observations and Investigations to Be Strengthened In addition, the province will strengthen crackdowns on false transactions and price collusion while also engaging in observations and investigations of real estate transactions. ► Kim Jun-taek, Assistant Governor, Gyeonggi Province Urban Housing Office “In addition, we will operate a desk for illegal real estate transaction activity reports at the Gyeonggi Call Center and pursue legal amendments to prevent resident damage from such activities.” ► Gyeonggi Pursues Housing Stability for Residents through Realization of Transparent Real Estate Transaction Order Through multiple measures to respond to illegal activities and restore the real estate transaction order, Gyeonggi Province is doing its utmost to realize housing stability for residents.   2. Gyeonggi Launches Disaster-related Basic Income Promotional Broadcasts (0429-1) Gyeonggi Province recently began online broadcasts to aid the local economy. Titled, ‘Wise Consumption – Dating around 31 Cities and Counties’, these broadcasts feature celebrities who use disaster-related basic income in backstreet areas around the province. ► Backstreet in Jukjeon-dong, Yongin City Small businesses in backstreet areas like here in Yongin (용인) City are hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with sales having plummeted far below normal. ► Jeong Hye-jeong, Café Proprietor “Business is incomparably worse. Almost all business owners in this neighborhood can’t afford to hire part-time employees.” ► Gyeonggi Disaster-related Basic Income Payments to Promote Local Economy Gyeonggi is paying disaster-related basic income to all residents as consumption support to help the local economy overcome the COVID-19 crisis. ► Consumption Guidance Provided to Promote Disaster-related Basic Income Usage In these broadcasts, celebrities will visit backstreet commercial areas including traditional markets in the 31 cities and counties of the province and use disaster-related basic income themselves. [Sync] “We hope that Gyeonggi Disaster-related Basic Income will boost morale (among small businesses)” “Right. We will endeavor to make Gyeonggi Disaster-related Basic Income a symbol of hope for small business owners and the self-employed.” ► Celebrities Promote ‘Good Consumption Practices’ via Personal Broadcasting Platforms During the first broadcast, which was released via YouTube as well as a personal platform, a social commentator, a comedian, a columnist, a literary critic and a popular YouTuber discussed how to use disaster-related basic income while communicating with viewers. ► Hwang Gyo-ik, Restaurant Columnist “Since I am a restaurant columnist, I hope that I will be able to help those who are operating restaurants and experiencing serious economic impacts…” ► 3,000+ Viewed First Live Broadcast This first broadcast, which took place on April 27, attracted more than 3,000 viewers. The ‘Wise Consumption – Dating around 31 Cities and Counties’ program will feature 31 events in rotation through the cities and counties of the province until June 30.   3. ‘Little Concert’ Held at COVID-19 Treatment Center (0506-2) With over 100 days having passed since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Korea, a special concert was held at a COVID-19 treatment center in Gyeonggi Province for those struggling to fight the disease. ► ‘Little Concert’ at Gyeonggi COVID-19 Treatment Center #2 (May 1) Held outdoors at the Gyeonggi COVID-19 Treatment Center in Yongin (용인) City, this concert featured classical piano music performances. Patients who are struggling while living in isolation appreciated the performances through open windows, occasionally recording and applauding, while medical personnel as well as assisting public officials and military personnel drew comfort from the music. ► Yu Eun-sang, Chief Official, COVID-19 Treatment Center Infection Control Department “I was exhausted. However, I felt better and could pull myself together as a medical professional. I will continue to do my best until our patients can return home with renewed health.” ► Moral Boosting and Healing for COVID-19 Treatment Center Patients and Medical Staff This concert was organized by Gyeonggi Province for patients and treatment center personnel who are fighting against COVID-19 on the frontlines. This was the first such event organized at a COVID-19 treatment center for mild cases. ► Choi Jae-won, Chief Official, Gyeonggi Arts Center Cultural Sharing Team “We know that they all are experiencing hardships. We organized this event to help restore their determination.” Gyeonggi Province will organize various other cultural events at weekly intervals at all COVID-19 treatment centers in the province.   4. Gyeonggi Launches Broadcasts for COVID-19-affected Artists (0507-1) To aid artists who are experiencing difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gyeonggi Arts Center opened its performance facilities for broadcasts so as to provide artists with performance opportunities while enabling residents to enjoy diverse performances at home. ► Pyeongtaek Farmers’ Music Conservation Group, Pyeongtaek City The Pyeongtaek Farmers’ Music is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Item as well as a Korean National Intangible Cultural Asset. However, with all performance schedules having been cancelled indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the forty members of this music group are experiencing difficulties. ► Mun Sang-bvo, Pyeongtaek Farmers’ Music Apprentice “We feel almost helpless having nothing to do. Even if we attempt to collect ourselves and start practicing, we soon feel dejected. Most of us are suffering from lethargy and depression.” This broadcasting program is geared to help artists left adrift during the COVID-19 pandemic. ► Gyeonggi Arts Center Opens Facilities for Broadcasting This program is part of Gyeonggi Province’s Cultural New Deal policies. ► 200+ Gyeonggi Performance Artist Groups to Participate Beginning with live performances by provincial art companies in March, this program has been expanded to encompass more than 200 art groups in the province. ► 5 Cameras Used to Record Online Broadcast Contents The video contents of performances are created through the use of 5 cameras and broadcast via online platforms including YouTube. ► Gwon Yeong-hun, PD, Gyeonggi Arts Center PR Team “Art groups are also provided with video contents that can be used for their promotional efforts.” ► Kim Dal-su, Chairperson, Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee “I believe that we need to develop more supporting programs that will enable many cultural, arts and performance groups to produce their own video content. We will provide support for such endeavors.” More than 200 art groups will present performances via this broadcasting program until May 25.   5. 343rd Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Extraordinary Session Ends (0506-1) On April 29, the 343rd extraordinary session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly ended with the 2nd general meeting that saw the passage of 107 items including an ordinance that enables payment of disaster-related basic income to foreign residents. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Chairperson Song Han-jun “Voting will start on Article 23 pertaining to the partial amendment of the Gyeonggi Province Disaster-related Basic Income Payment Ordinance. Please vote now.” ► Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly (April 29) Passage of Ordinance for Disaster-related Basic Income Payment to Foreign Residents The passage of this ordinance amendment provides a legal basis for the payment of provincial disaster-related basic income to foreign residents of the province. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Chairperson Song Han-jun “Article 23 has been passed.” ► 109,000+ Foreign Residents to Receive Provincial Disaster-related Basic Income of KRW 100,000 Approximately 109,000 foreign residents of Gyeonggi Province, including 48,000 immigrant spouses and 61,000 permanent residents, are now each entitled to a provincial disaster-related basic income payment of KRW 100,000. ► Ordinance for Support of US Military Base-dependent Women Also Passed The general meeting also saw the passage of Korea’s first ordinance for the support of US military base-dependent women, which aims to help these women regain status and improve their welfare. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Vice Chairperson Kim Won-ki “I will now announce the result of the vote. Out of 102 members present, 101 voted in favor and 1 abstained. Article 92 has been passed.” With the passage of this ordinance, women dependent on US military bases can receive housing support as well as livelihood cost support. A total of 107 items including ordinances for local economic promotion and social housing promotion were passed during the general meeting. The 344th extraordinary session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly is slated to open on June 9 and will run until June 24. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.