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. Gyeonggi Pursues Use of Irregular Eco-friendly Farm Products (1109) Gyeonggi Province is seeking ways in which to utilize irregular, unmarketable agricultural products, such as undersized vegetables and scarred fruits, so as to reduce waste and associated social costs. Current plans include organizing online sales events as well as promoting the use of such products for food ingredient packages and as raw materials for processed goods such as juices and cosmetics. The province also plans to expand related initiatives for eco-friendly products to general agricultural products. ◇ Gyeonggi Launches Facility Information App for Limited Mobility Users (1109) Gyeonggi Province recently launched a facility information app for limited mobility users including individuals with disabilities as well as seniors and pregnant women. Upgraded from the previous version launched in 2019, this new version includes added features such as a nearby-facility search, navigation, and voice recognition so as to improve services. This app also enables users to communicate with the app developers, involving them in its development through site visits and the registration of frequently used facilities. ◇   Gyeonggi to include Out-of-school Youths in Education Disaster Support Payments (1108) Gyeonggi Province announced plans to make an education disaster support payment of KRW 50 thousand per person to approximately 120 thousand youths in the province who were excluded from a corresponding payment made by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education. Launched by the central government, education disaster support is provided either through cash or in kind to primary, middle and high school students who have been unable to attend school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Application for the payment can be made in person at local out-of-school youth support centers or through email or fax. ◇ Military Barbed Wire Fencing Removal from Han River Banks in Gimpo (1111) Military barbed wire fencing along the banks of the Han River in Gimpo (김포) City, which blocked public access to the riverside for security purposes, will be removed in two phases by May next year. The relevant riverside areas will then be developed as parks and returned to the public. The military will install state-of-art surveillance equipment in these areas and return selected sites to the public where security operations are not affected. ◇ Gyeonggi’s Regulatory Sandbox Program Produces Positive Results (1111) Gyeonggi Province’s Regulatory Sandbox Program has achieved significant and positive results. In total, 5 enterprises participating in the program successfully induced investments of KRW 21.2 billion, increased sales by 200 percent, and created 182 new jobs. The Regulatory Sandbox Program exempts new products and services from existing regulations within certain conditions so as to enable testing and safety verification. Enterprises seeking to participate in this program can submit applications to the Regulatory Reform Division of the province or to the Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator. ◇   Gyeonggi’s Revised Animal Protection Ordinance Enters Effect on November 2 (1111) On November 2, the partially amended Animal Protection Ordinance entered full effect after being passed during a general meeting of the 355th Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly on October 12. This ordinance will provide the provincial government with the basis to support the establishment and operation of stray cat feeding stations and animal adoption centers. With this ordinance taking effect, the province also plans to promote the adoption of abandoned animals and expand the development of pet-related education programs. ◇ 3 Royal Placenta Chambers of Joseon Dynasty Excavated in Gyeonggi (1112) The first royal placenta chambers of the Joseon Dynasty were recently discovered in Toecheon-myeon (퇴촌면) of Gwangju (광주) City. Royal placenta chambers contain the placentas and umbilical cords of royal newborns. This site consists of three such chambers located side by side, the first to be discovered in Korea. On November 10, Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation publicly presented the discoveries made at the site. The province plans to excavate more royal placenta chambers at other probable sites. ◇ Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.