Moon asks mayors, provincial governors to stimulate local consumption

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in on Thursday asked mayors and provincial governors to focus on stimulating local consumption and swiftly draw up plans to help pandemic-hit small merchants.

"It is needed to actively discuss ways to recover local consumption, including swift support for small merchants," Moon told a meeting with mayors and governors.

Despite the prolonged pandemic, South Korea's exports hit a record high last year, Moon said.

However, the pandemic has still hurt people's livelihoods, and the government has failed to decrease congestion in Seoul and its neighboring areas, Moon said.

For decades, South Korea has pushed for balanced regional development, but people have continued to move to the greater capital area.

To efficiently address concerns about low birth rate, aging and climate change, Moon urged the central and local governments to join forces.

The central government has promoted a regional development strategy aimed at helping more big cities and provincial governments cooperate with each other.

Under the strategy, the southern port city of Busan, its neighboring city of Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province, which surrounds the two big cities, have pushed for building a so-called megaregion.

A new local government will be launched for the megaregion in February, Moon said.

"Government power becomes stronger with decentralization, and democracy becomes solid as more residents participate," Moon told the meeting.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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