North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo (right) meets with Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun. [North Gyeongsang Province]
North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo (right) meets with Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun. [North Gyeongsang Province]

North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo met with Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun on Wednesday afternoon at the Korea Public Finance Information Service in Seoul, urging the government to include five key regional projects in the 2027 national investment budget. The projects include the Yeongil Bay cross-bay expressway and Ulleung Airport construction.

The five projects are: construction of the Yeongil Bay cross-bay expressway; construction of Ulleung Airport; establishment of a food-tech regional innovation cluster for smart manufacturing in the food sector; a pilot program to develop and expand domestically built AI models based on regional industrial data; and creation of an APEC Diplomacy and Culture Center in Gyeongju.

During the meeting, Lee personally outlined how the projects would advance not only regional development but also South Korea's broader competitiveness — completing the East Sea coastal transport network, improving access to island communities, building an advanced industry ecosystem in AI and food technology, and carrying forward the legacy of the APEC summit. He called on the government to provide full-scale support.

Lee identified the Yeongil Bay cross-bay expressway — designed to close a missing link in the East Sea coastal transport corridor — as the top priority.

North Gyeongsang Province said the project would complete an X-shaped national transport network and position the East Sea coast as a global logistics and industrial hub. The province requested government funding to begin a turnkey contract in 2027.

Lee also requested active fiscal support to ensure the stable progress and timely opening of Ulleung Airport, citing the need to improve transport access for island residents and reinforce territorial sovereignty.

He also proposed creating an APEC Diplomacy and Culture Center in Gyeongju to preserve the outcomes of the APEC summit as a lasting national asset.

"The projects we proposed are not simply regional development initiatives — they are national core projects that will drive a paradigm shift in South Korea's industries and lead balanced national development," Lee said. "We hope the Ministry of Planning and Budget will provide its full support."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com