Gyeonggi-do Governor Kim Dong-yeon defined the current situation as one in which both the economy and democracy are in crisis, and proposed “human-centered economy” (humanomics) as a solution.

At the 'Gyeonggi International Democracy Forum 2024' held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly on the 26th, Governor Kim Dong-yeon said, “The successful method of development cooperation that has driven our economy in the past is no longer working. Democracy is threatened by elected power. Even within the political sphere, it is deeply questionable whether democracy is being practiced,” he said.

The forum was held in conjunction with a ceremony to commemorate the 17th World Democracy Day (Sept. 15), which was designated by the United Nations (UN) under the theme “Korean Democracy's Response to Global Crisis.

In his commemorative speech, Governor Kim said, “We have been proud to have achieved democracy after industrialization, but democracy is under threat not only in Korea but also in all countries around the world.” He diagnosed that “there is a global trend that leads to recession and demagoguery, or populist politics, due to deepening polarization and a shrinking middle class.”

“I wonder if demagoguery, politics of division, and even politics of taking sides within the same side are the reasons why our democracy is so damaged. I am ashamed to be in charge of policy for a long time,” he said, adding, ”It is time to reflect and think again about the spirit of democracy in our lives and daily lives.”

“I believe that people are at the center of the economic and democracy crisis, which is why I have been advocating for a people-centered economy in the province, and I am investing in new growth engines, expanding the middle class, caring for people, and investing in people to create a functioning economy where people are treated properly. We will show by example that when Gyeonggi Province changes, Korea changes.”

He also expressed regret over the president's veto of the Chae Sang-byung Special Prosecutor Act. “If Corporal Chae Soo-geun were alive today, it would be his veteran's day,” Kim said. ”I express my regret for the continued veto of the Democratization Meritorious Person Act and the Corporal Chae Special Act, which passed the National Assembly. We hope that this will stop as it is driving a nail into the hearts of our people and bereaved families.”

The Gyeonggi International Democracy Forum 2024 was moderated by Ha Dong-geun, former director of the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, and chaired by Han Do-hyun, professor of Korean Studies at the Korea Central Institute. Professor Namhee Lee of UCLA delivered a lecture on 'Discourse and Democracy in the Crisis of Democracy since 1987,' and Professor Hannes B. Mosler of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, delivered a lecture on 'Summoning the Citizens Again: Institutional Reform and Democratization in Korea's Liberal Democracy,” followed by Professor Shin Shin-Wook of Chung-Ang University, who presented ”New Threats to Global Democracy and Challenges for Korean Democracy in the 21st Century.

Afterward, a discussion session was held to hear the voices of Asian and African youth. Blessing GRACE YOVO (Togo, student at Chung-Ang University) ▲ Ibrahim Mande (Côte d'Ivoire, student at the Korea Institute) ▲ Myo Hein (Myanmar, student at the Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies) ▲ ElBezek (Tunisia, student at the Korea Institute) ▲ ElBezek, (student at the Korea Institute of International Studies, Tunisia), Nguyen Thi Yen (student at the Korea Institute of International Studies, Vietnam), and Professor Hwang Kwang Sun (Gachon University, Korea) discussed the reality of democracy in their respective countries.

At the World Democracy Day commemoration ceremony, the participants watched a video commemorating World Democracy Day and jointly adopted and read the '2024 Gyeonggi International Democracy Declaration' by youth representatives from Gyeonggi Province and overseas.

The event was hosted and organized by the Seongnam Democracy Movement Project and sponsored by the Gyeonggi Province, and was attended by Governor Kim Dong-yeon, Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Vice Speaker Jung Yoon-kyung, Metropolitan Assembly members Kook Joong-beom, Choi Man-sik, and Moon Seung-ho, advisors from the National Council for the Inheritance of the Democracy Movement, and representatives of local organizations.