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 Province Opens Contents Industry Fair Trade Counseling Center (1214-1) Gyeonggi Province recently established the Contents Fair Trade Counseling Center so as to protect the interests of contents industry professionals and strengthen the province’s capabilities in responding to unfair trade practices in the industry. Services cover a range of issues including contracts, disputes and lawsuits as well as the provision of damage counseling and legal opinions. Cases are handled by specialists from related fields including lawyers, tax accountants, labor attorneys and patent agents. In addition, legal consultation services are also provided when necessary. ◇ 2- Applications for Gyeonggi Youth Job Interview Cost Support Being Received Until Dec. 31 (1214-3) Gyeonggi Province is receiving applications for its Youth Job Interview Cost Support, an initiative undertaken by Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, during the 4th application period that ends on December 31. Any youth aged 18 to 39 who resides in the province as of the date of application is entitled to support of up to KRW 210,000 paid in local currency for job interviews attended this year. Applications are being received online via the Gyeonggi Province Employment Foundation website (http://thankyou.jobaba.net). Detailed application information can be obtained by calling the related call center at 1877-2046. ◇   3- 2021 Gyeonggi Provincial Budget Passed Including Funding for Governor’s Key Pledges (1216-1) On December 15, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly passed next year’s provincial budget in its original draft that totals KRW 28.87 trillion. This budget includes funding for key pledges made by Governor Lee Jae-myung (이재명) including KRW 10.7 billion for public delivery app operation and KRW 17.6 billion for farmer basic income payments. With the passage of the budget for key projects, the provincial administration will have impetus in its administrative pursuits in 2021. ◇ 4- Gyeonggi Delivers Seongam Hakwon Human Rights Violation Victims Data to Investigation Committee (1214-2) Gyeonggi Province has been operating a desk to receive reports from victims of human rights violations that occurred at Seongam Hakwon (선감학원). Recently, Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang (이재강), together with victim representative Kim Young-bae (김영배), visited the Unresolved Past Remedial Committee and delivered a list of alleged victims together with the institute’s enrolment register. During his visit, Vice Governor Lee urged the committee chairperson to uncover the full truth about the related incidents. He also stated that the province will cooperate with the investigation through the provision of collected records as well as survey and analysis results. ◇ 5- Gyeonggi Province to Use Data Analysis to Identify Paper Companies (1217-1) Gyeonggi Province recently announced plans to develop a paper company identification system for full implementation from next year. This system will use the construction industry intelligence system operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to identify suspected paper companies through analyses of standards violations by individual companies. With this system, the province will be able to screen suspected enterprises preemptively instead of cracking down on them based solely on external information. ◇ 6- Gyeonggi to Open 20 More COVID-19 Screening Centers (1216-3) Gyeonggi Province plans to operate a total of 72 temporary COVID-19 screening centers so as to proactively identify symptomless carriers. During a regular press briefing on December 15, Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Headquarters Chief Lee Hui-yeong (이희영) asked even those residents without symptoms to voluntarily undergo testing so as to help control the current third wave of infections. There are currently 52 COVID-19 screening centers operating in the province. The province began the establishment of 20 more centers at strategic locations in phases from December 16. ◇ 7- Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor’s Solo Pilgrimage for Reopening of Industrial Complex in Gaeseong, N. Korea (1215-2) On December 15, Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang (이재강) walked across the Unification Bridge in Imjingak (임진각) in minus 10 degree Celsius weather while bowing every three steps as a ceremonial gesture to convey wishes for the reopening of the Gaesong (개성) Industrial Complex in North Korea. In addition, he proposed the establishment of a joint public and private cooperative body for the pursuit of a continuous and wider range of efforts for the same purpose. Vice Governor Lee also stated that, in this regard, he anticipates active support from diverse sectors including political circles, social groups, religious societies and academia as well as members of the public. ◇ Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.