▲ Photo by Yang Jiyeong

[This article is written by a JDC Junior Journalist. The JDC Junior Journalist program is an educational project sponsored by Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC). JDC Junior Journalist articles are only briefly edited by mentors before publishing.]

On May 17th 2014, The Kim Han-wook who is the JDC’s chairman held a press conferenced for the JDC Junior Jounalist in the conference room.

First, he said, “In the 1997, Korea had an IMF economic crisis, and that was a very big prolem. At that time, Hong Kong and Macao’s sovereignity was transfered back to China. Now, Korea has a profitable export market because of Korea’s location within the Asia - pacific trading sphere. JDC was established to advertise Jeju as a free international city.”

He continued, “The JDC was once known as the JEU (Jeju Economy United,) but since that was confusing with the Jeju development Center, JEU changed to JDC.”

Also he said, “I will make Jeju become a free international city, so all of Jeju’s citizens and economic structures can be free. That is because JDC helps make all citizens free sovereign Korean citizens. So Jeju’s commerce and all the active citizens are free.”

He added, “We have two hundred million won for an English camp during the summer vacation. Also the JDC is making a lot of other projects.”

Lastly he said, “We must take care of the environment. That is the duty of all advanced nations. But in fact, the rivers of first world nations are full of trash and smell bad. So we think about about the environmental culture and the economic culture. That is the JDC’s very important mission.”

JDC, The Jeju Development Center has a lot of projects for Jeju island and Jeju citizens like economy, environment and culture. Recently, JDC is trying to advance the use of English. Jeju citizens who have an interest can join this project.