The first general assembly of the Council of Metropolitan and Provincial Governors of the Republic of Korea since the launch of the elected 9th term was held Friday afternoon at the council's main conference room in Seoul.
The governors elected Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae as the council's new chair by consensus, while Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho called on governors nationwide to support the ITS World Congress, set to be held in Gangneung in October.
"Governors must unite to invigorate regional economies by leveraging each region's strengths and improve the lives of residents," Woo said. "I ask for your attention to the ITS World Congress, which will be held in Gangneung from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23 this year. I also hope that public officials and related institutions and businesses in each city and province will participate actively."
The ITS World Congress is an international gathering of public and private sector leaders in advanced transportation technology — a field focused on applying AI and computing technology to transportation infrastructure and systems to improve traffic flow and safety. The event is nicknamed the "Transportation Olympics," with ITS standing for Intelligent Transport Systems.
Park, the council's 19th chair, begins a one-year term from Friday. He will represent all 16 cities and provinces, working to advance decentralization, balanced regional development and expanded cooperation between the central government and local authorities.
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