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President Lee Jae Myung takes part in a ceremonial groundbreaking alongside Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and other participants at the Chungcheong Mega Project groundbreaking ceremony held at Samsung Electronics' Onyang Campus construction site in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, on Nov. 12. From left: Young Hyun Jun, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics; Oh Se-hyun, mayor of Asan; Park Soo-hyun, governor of South Chungcheong Province; Kim Jung-Kwan, minister of trade, industry and resources; President Lee; Chairman Lee Jae-yong; Park Moon-sung, an outstanding Samsung Electronics employee, and his child; and Kim Young-jae, CEO of Daeduck Electronics. /Yonhap News Agency

President Lee Jae Myung said on Nov. 12, "We will concentrate all our policy efforts to ensure that the mega projects go beyond simply expanding corporate production facilities into regional areas and lead to 'growth for all' and 'genuine balanced national development' that bring tangible changes to the lives of local communities and the people."

Speaking at the Chungcheong Mega Project groundbreaking ceremony held at Samsung Electronics' Onyang Campus construction site in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, Lee said, "I hope the first shovelful of earth turned today will serve as a firm stepping stone not only for Chungcheong's remarkable leap forward but also for building an 'irreplaceable Republic of Korea' that no one can rival."

"Just four months after I promised a bold investment plan here in Chungcheong last July to make South Korea an industrial powerhouse with an unrivaled competitive edge, I am standing at the site where that promise is becoming a reality," Lee said. "I would like to thank Samsung Group Chairman Lee Jae-yong and all Samsung Group executives and employees for making bold investment decisions and demonstrating their ability to implement them swiftly, as well as the residents of Chungcheong for joining forces to make this groundbreaking possible."

Lee continued, "The dedicated efforts of local governments played a decisive role in turning this bold plan into actual construction in just four months." He added, "This is an exemplary case that clearly demonstrates how quickly changes on the ground can take place when local governments take the initiative."

Lee also pledged, "The central and local governments will work as 'one team' and take responsibility through to the end for securing various permits and approvals and building essential infrastructure, including electricity and water supplies, to ensure that all investment plans in the Honam and Yeongnam regions, as well as Chungcheong, proceed without disruption."

"Above all, local residents must be able to share in the benefits of these massive investments," Lee stressed. "New growth opportunities must open up for local small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners, and young people must be able to work, establish homes and plan their futures here in Chungcheong without having to move far away in search of good jobs."

                                                                                                              Hong Sun-mi