[Cheonji Ilbo Jeonbuk=Reporter Kim Dong-hyun] It has been 1 year and 4 months since the launch of the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, but the changes felt on the ground still fall short of expectations. Governor Kim Kwan-young’s administration has promoted youth policies and international event bids, but in 2023, Jeonbuk’s GRDP fell to -0.2%, lower than the national average. The employment rate dropped to 62.7%, and the unemployment rate rose by 0.8 percentage points to 2.7%.

Youth outmigration also continues. As of 2024, Jeonbuk saw 44,456 people move in and 46,263 move out, resulting in a net outflow of 1,807. Over the past 10 years, 85,826 young people—18.8% of the province’s youth population—have left.

The Jeonbuk Provincial Council pointed to a lack of advance sharing of major policies and insufficient consensus-building. It also emphasized the need for the province to identify projects suited to its local conditions and incorporate them into the Special Self-Governing Province Act with strong execution.

Young people cited housing shortages, lack of jobs, and insufficient educational linkages as key obstacles to settling in the region. While startup support has been available, structural issues such as industry restrictions remain a challenge.

Attention is now on whether Governor Kim’s emphasis on “rapid execution” will lead to tangible improvements that residents can truly feel.

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