By Kayla Lee

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province held a 'Jeju Global Policy Briefing' at the Grand Mercure Bangkok Atrium Hotel in Bangkok to share Jeju's core values and vision on Dec. 1, along with the 'Jeju-ASEAN Plus Alpha' policy.

This briefing, organized to explore the path of ASEAN common prosperity by sharing Jeju's core values and vision with key local figures in Bangkok, one of the major cities in ASEAN, highlighted Jeju's policies for economic and trade activation through future new industries.

In particular, the province presented its achievements in a short period after announcing the Jeju-ASEAN Plus Alpha (+ɑ) policy based on the institutional advantages Jeju has gained since the establishment of the international free city system.

Furthermore, Jeju concentrated on promoting the progress in the fields of green hydrogen, space industry, UAM, and other future new industries that it is leading through videos and presentations.

Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon explained during the briefing, "Jeju, the No. 1 tourist city in South Korea, have embarked on a new challenge for mutual growth. Jeju's local diplomacy is not just about promoting Jeju's global values in one direction but leading the agenda and creating mutual benefits and greater value."

He continued, "With various facilities and support policies allowing work and leisure simultaneously for those staying in Jeju for a month without a visa, the opening of regular flights between Jeju and Bangkok will lead to faster growth and prosperity in both regions. Jeju's international exchange network will also significantly contribute to Bangkok's economic prosperity."

Prior to the 'Jeju Global Policy Briefing,' Governor Oh Young-hoon met with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), at the UN ESCAP conference room, discussing exchanges between Jeju and the Asia-Pacific region in economic and technical fields.

During the meeting, Governor Oh Young-hoon emphasized, "The ASEAN Plus Alpha policy is closely related to ESCAP's pursuit of sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. I keenly feel the importance of urban cooperation, especially intergovernmental cooperation, in the current emphasis on city-to-city cooperation. I hope that various forms of exchange and cooperation between ESCAP and Jeju can take place in the future."

In response to Governor Oh Young-hoon's request to participate in the 2024 Jeju Forum and operate a joint session with Jeju, Secretary-General Alisjahbana replied, "As we are currently facing challenging times, we believe that the Jeju Forum can play a bridging role. Experiencing Jeju's renewable energy and other new industries will be a good opportunity for developing countries."

In addition, Governor Oh inspected the Energy Complex (EnCo), constructed by Thailand's largest state-owned company PTT, which aims for carbon neutrality by expanding its share of renewable and green energy projects. He also visited the construction site of The Forestias, a smart city under construction by MQDC, a subsidiary of DTGO Group, the leading company in the Thai business community.