Park Soo-hyun, the South Chungcheong governor, presented "Korea's AI (artificial intelligence) capital" as the provincial governance vision. He also unveiled a 1 trillion won fiscal restructuring plan to cover insufficient revenue and rising expenditure needs.
The "Communicating South Chungcheong Preparatory Committee" (hereafter the preparatory committee), equivalent to the transition committee for Governor Park Soo-hyun's ninth popularly elected administration, held a briefing for residents on the 15th at the KAIST Mobility Research Institute in Naepo New Town and announced 201 provincial governance tasks, including seven major goals.
The preparatory committee set seven major goals for provincial governance: ▲ South Chungcheong together with residents ▲ Korea's AI capital ▲ a dynamic innovation economy ▲ a warm life together ▲ a safe and pleasant home ▲ a clean future for rural and fishing communities ▲ an affluent and healthy society.
In particular, regarding the "AI capital," it presented a direction to pursue innovation in the province's AI industry while realizing an AI local government to aim for warm administration that changes residents' lives.
It also presented regional development strategies. Cheonan, Asan, Dangjin and Seosan will lead innovation as an AI advanced industry pilot zone, while Boryeong, Seocheon and Taean will pursue marine tourism and an energy transition. Hongseong and Yesan will be fostered as administrative hub cities, and Gongju, Buyeo and Cheongyang will seek to attract tourists as a historical and cultural zone. Nonsan, Gyeryong and Geumsan will be developed as cities centered on defense administration and high value-added agriculture.
The preparatory committee also presented plans to secure funds in the second half and a 2030 fiscal operation strategy.
The preparatory committee projected a revenue shortfall of 468.7 billion won this year, an increase in expenditure demand of 561.7 billion won, and a total shortfall of 1.0304 trillion won.
To cover the shortfall, it said it would secure a total of 999.5 billion won by ▲ adjusting the timing of large-scale investment projects: 326.4 billion won ▲ deferring the appropriation of statutory expenses: 464.2 billion won ▲ a mandatory 20% cut in ordinary expenses, etc.: 148.9 billion won ▲ utilizing surplus funds from reserves: 60 billion won.
For fiscal operations over the next four years through 2030, it said it would pursue ▲ curbing the rise in the debt ratio (from the current 18.93% down to 17%) ▲ strengthening fiscal restructuring and management systems to secure fiscal soundness ▲ proposing an upward adjustment of the grant-in-aid (non-earmarked tax) rate (from 19.24% to 22%) ▲ proposing an adjustment of the ratio between national taxes and local government tax (from 7 to 3 to 6.5 to 3.5).
Lee Jae-gwan, the preparatory committee chair, said, "For post-management of the provincial governance tasks, we will assign management numbers by sector and pledge, have each implementing department register quarterly progress, and conduct regular inspections," adding, "We will also transparently disclose the results of pledge reviews and evaluations to residents through the province's website."
Governor Park Soo-hyun said, "The wisdom of residents and the preparatory committee came together to complete the 'future blueprint of a communicating South Chungcheong,'" adding, "Holding the residents' briefing at the KAIST Mobility Research Institute, the core base of the AI transition, was to let people know that South Chungcheong's future—first, second and third—lies in the AI transition."