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Jinju delivers 130,000-signature petition for merged power utility headquarters
Версия 2: New coverage added: Yonhap and Asia Economy reported the details of Jinju's petition to a presidential adviser, including about 130,000 signatures gathered over 66 days, and Seoul Shinmun published a headline calling Buan the optimal site.
Коротко
South Korea's government is pushing to merge five state power generation companies and build a new headquarters with about 1,800 staff, and local governments are competing to host it. On Oct. 6 Jinju mayor Cho Gyu-il delivered a petition with about 130,000 signatures to a presidential adviser, while Buan, Taean, Naju, Ulsan and Busan also press their cases. The government says the headquarters site has not been decided.
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The government is pushing to merge the country's five state power generation companies and create a new integrated headquarters, with local governments competing to host it, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. The newspaper said the plan would combine Korea South-East Power, Korea Midland Power, Korea Western Power, Korea Southern Power and Korea East-West Power into “Korea Power Generation Co.,” a 100 percent subsidiary of KEPCO, with a launch targeted for Oct. 1, 2027. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The headquarters would take about 1,800 staff, with the rest of the workforce distributed across three to four regional renewable energy headquarters, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. It said the site has not been decided and that the government will weigh the existing locations of the power companies, the impact on a just transition and living and working conditions, linking the decision to its second public institution relocation policy. [ 1 , 2 ]
Buan county in North Jeolla entered the race, saying on Oct. 4 that it held a seminar on Oct. 2 with Wonkwang University's Buan Policy Research Institute on attracting the headquarters and creating a Saemangeum science and technology complex. It points to an August revision of the Saemangeum master plan that includes about 4,694,215 square meters, or 1.42 million pyeong, of industrial land in the R4 area of the Buan zone, where it proposes to bring in renewable energy companies and research and industrial facilities. Seoul Shinmun, in a headline with no article text available, described Buan as the optimal site, calling it an “energy treasure trove.” [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
Other areas are bidding too. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Taean in South Chungcheong cites compensation for coal plant closures, Jinju in South Gyeongsang cites the use of an existing office building and Naju cites a concentration of energy public institutions, with Ulsan and Busan also in the running. Korea Economic Daily headlined the contest as involving four local governments. Buan governor Kwon Ik-hyun said that “with moves between regions over the merged power company headquarters now in full swing, swift response and execution are what matter.” [ 1 , 3 ]
On Oct. 6, Jinju mayor Cho Gyu-il delivered a signature petition seeking the headquarters to Kim Kyung-soo, a Cheong Wa Dae political affairs special adviser, at the government's Seoul building, according to Yonhap and Asia Economy. The petition carried about 130,000 signatures gathered over 66 days from July, they reported; Newsis headlined the delivery as being to the Blue House. Jo was accompanied by Jinju city council speaker Park Mi-kyung and Jinju Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Heo Sung-du, both co-chairs of the city's committee on attracting public institutions, Asia Economy said. [ 4 , 6 , 7 ]
Cho also called for a review of the split of LH's functions with its headquarters kept in Jinju, and for concentrating a second round of public institution relocations in Jinju's innovation city, Asia Economy reported. The city had staged a citizens' rally on Aug. 26 and relay protests and resolutions in Sejong and at the National Assembly, and plans further lobbying of the government and parliament. [ 7 ]
Asia Economy said the merger, its terms, the headquarters site, the LH function adjustment and the second round of public institution relocation all depend on government policy and consultations with relevant agencies. [ 7 ]
Почему это важно
The headquarters, planned for about 1,800 staff with the rest of the workforce spread across regional renewable energy offices, is treated by local governments as a prize that can shift their regional economies, which is why the bidding has widened beyond the areas that already host the plants. Because the government says it will weigh existing locations, the impact on a just transition and its second public institution relocation policy, the choice is tied to how coal plant closures are compensated.
Ключевые факты
- The government is pursuing a merger of the five state power generation companies into “Korea Power Generation Co.,” a wholly owned subsidiary of KEPCO, with a launch target of Oct. 1, 2027, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The merged headquarters would take about 1,800 staff, with remaining personnel distributed across three to four regional renewable energy headquarters. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The headquarters site is undecided; the government says it will consider existing plant locations, the impact on a just transition, living and working conditions and the second public institution relocation policy. [ 1 ]
- Buan county in North Jeolla entered the race, holding an Oct. 2 seminar on attracting the headquarters and creating a Saemangeum science and technology complex, and cites about 4,694,215 square meters of planned industrial land in the Saemangeum Buan zone. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Taean, Jinju, Naju, Ulsan and Busan are also bidding; Korea Economic Daily headlined the race as involving four local governments. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Jinju mayor Cho Gyu-il delivered a petition with about 130,000 signatures, gathered over 66 days from July, to Cheong Wa Dae political affairs special adviser Kim Kyung-soo. [ 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Seoul Shinmun described Buan as the optimal site for the headquarters, calling it an “energy treasure trove.” [ 5 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- The government is pursuing a merger of five state power generation companies and a new integrated headquarters that local governments are competing to host. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Jinju is among the bidders and has formally petitioned the government, with a signature petition delivered to the presidential office or a presidential adviser. [ 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- The petition gathered about 130,000 signatures over 66 days starting in July. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Cho Gyu-il raised the headquarters bid along with a review of LH's function split and the concentration of a second round of public institution relocations in Jinju. [ 6 , 7 ]
Пока неясно
- Where the headquarters of the merged company will be located. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported the government says the site is not decided and will be chosen after weighing existing locations, the just transition, working conditions and the second public institution relocation policy.
- How many local governments are competing. Korea Economic Daily's headline says four local governments, while Kyunghyang Shinmun lists Buan, Taean, Jinju, Naju, Ulsan and Busan.
- Whether Buan is the best site. Asserted in a Seoul Shinmun headline only, with no article text available, and no other document makes the claim.
- Whether the merger, its terms, the headquarters site, the LH function adjustment and the second public institution relocation will proceed. Asia Economy says these depend on government policy and consultations with relevant agencies.
- The exact time and venue of the petition handover. Newsis headlined the petition as delivered to the Blue House, while Yonhap and Asia Economy said it was handed to a Cheong Wa Dae adviser at the government's Seoul building.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that Buan county joined the competition for the merged power utility's headquarters, after an Oct. 2 seminar in Buan. [ 1 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes a follow-up summary listing Jinju, Taean, Naju, Ulsan and Busan as bidders alongside Buan. [ 2 ]
- Korea Economic Daily headlines the race as involving four local governments. [ 3 ]
- Newsis reports that Jinju mayor Cho Gyu-il delivered a signature petition for the headquarters to the presidential office. [ 4 ]
- Seoul Shinmun publishes a piece describing Buan as the optimal site for the integrated headquarters. [ 5 ]
- Yonhap reports that Cho delivered the petition to Cheong Wa Dae political affairs special adviser Kim Kyung-soo at the government's Seoul building. [ 6 ]
- Asia Economy reports the petition delivery with about 130,000 signatures and the three issues raised. [ 7 ]