North Jeolla Province Gov. Kim Kwan-young talks to The Korea Herald at his office, April 18. (North Jeolla Provincial Government)

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province -- As a region traditionally known for its vast agricultural land, North Jeolla Province has been one of the pillars of the farming economy in South Korea. The province's governor, Kim Kwan-young, who took office in July last year, has set his sights on even bigger ambitions.

Despite the province's declining population as well as its high financial dependence on the central government, North Jeolla Province has the capacity to become the center of the bio and agriculture industry in Korea, Kim said in an interview with The Korea Herald. What the province needs is the inflow of immigrants to buttress its falling population and investments to nurture local talent.

“We will make North Jeolla Province the capital of the agricultural and bio industry. The potential is already sufficient. The region has all the elements for the growth of the agricultural and life food bio industry," said Kim. The region, traditionally a granary region located in central Korea, houses several agriculture-related governmental institutes, colleges, and more than 1,000 agriculture experts, he added.

The capital of the province is Jeonju, a city known for its rich cultural heritage, he said, calling it the "birthplace of K-culture."

“North Jeolla Province is home to Korean traditions including food, hanbok, hanok and cultural assets such as nongak, pansori, calligraphy and crafts," he said, suggesting that the province's rich tourism draws should be promoted more.

Against its cultural backdrop, North Jeolla Province is set to be at the center of international attention as it hosts the 25th World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, a reclaimed area stretching across the cities of Gunsan, Gimje and Buan.

The event, which kicks off on Aug. 1 for a 12-day run, is expecting to draw 40,000 teens from 170 countries.

Saemangeum is another key factor in boosting North Jeolla Province’s potential, Kim said. The reclaimed land, which went under construction in 1991 and was completed in 2010, was recognized by the Guinness World Records as having the longest seawall of 33.9 kilometers.

“It is true that it took a long time to prepare this land of opportunity, but now we are ready to fill up the blank space,” said Kim. The provincial government is planning to fill the land with diverse businesses and entertainment, such as agricultural business clusters, reusable and hydrogen energy business, and a grand theme park.

“Saemangeum will be equipped with metropolitan transportation infrastructure including an airport, port, railroad and roads connecting the areas adjacent to nearby regions within five to six years,” he explained.

“The Saemangeum Investment Promotion District, which will provide income tax cuts to corporations for up to five years, will be designated in July,” he added, stressing the benefits that North Jeolla Province could provide firms that choose Saemangeum.

There are clear economic prospects for the region, he said.

“As of the first quarter of this year, direct investment from foreign capital recorded $585 million, ranking first in the nonmetropolitan area, and also marking the highest performance ever in the history of the province,” said Kim.

The main challenge is North Jeolla Province's declining and aging population, like most nonmetropolitan regions.

The population of North Jeolla Province has dropped continuously from 1.87 million in 2013 to 1.77 million in 2022, according to the Korean Statistical Information Service.

"To make people settle in the region, we should make it possible for them to make a living and dream of a better future in the region," Kim said.

"What we need is jobs with high quality. That is why the first goal I came up with was to attract five large conglomerates including affiliates within the province, and to create jobs through local companies."

More expat-friendly immigration and resettlement policies are necessary to solve the current population crisis, Kim continued.

“The population problem is not just an issue for North Jeolla Province, but also a national issue. It has long been difficult to meet the manpower demand in rural areas and unpopular industries," he said.

“When I first met President Yoon Suk Yeol after I took office, I proposed to grant the governor an authority to issue visas for immigrants within the range of 10 percent of the local population,” said Kim.

The idea delivered to the president was the basis for a Justice Ministry pilot visa program. Under the program, five-year work visas can be granted to specific groups of foreigners, such as international students who graduated from local universities.

“(A total of) 400 people have been assigned to our province, and we plan to recruit all of them by the end of June. We will try to present high-quality jobs within cities to the foreigners who sign up for the project. The number of people might be increased to 4,000 or 40,000 in the future if successful," Kim said.

The motto of North Jeolla Provincial Office this year is, "It will come true if we take up the challenge," he said, before wrapping up the interview.

"I will continue to face challenges head on if there’s any possibility it would help our province flourish."

Gov. Kim Kwang-young started his career as a certified accountant in 1990. He went on to pass both the civil servant and state bar exams, which led him to become a lawyer. In 2012, Kim began his political career by winning a parliamentary seat representing Gunsan district where he was born. After serving a second parliamentary term, Kim was elected govenor of North Jeolla Province in 2022.

This is the second installment in a series of interviews with heads of municipalities in Korea, exploring the policy commitments of local governments in promoting balanced development and regional competitiveness. — Ed.