"Mutual cooperation in discovering joint projects, expanding sales channels, supporting growth, and providing financial support" 

Chungnam Province is drastically expanding cooperation with organizations promoting the "social solidarity economy," which is drawing attention as a new solution to local social issues.

Social solidarity economy driving forces in the province—such as social enterprises, village enterprises, and cooperatives—have decided to connect their respective experiences and capabilities, and cooperate in discovering and promoting joint projects.

On the 5th, Governor Park Soo-hyun signed the "Agreement on Solidarity and Cooperation for the Revitalization of the Chungnam Social Solidarity Economy and Sustainable Regional Development" with 13 social solidarity economy entities and 3 national movement organizations at the Chungnam Social Economy Innovation Town located in Cheongyang.

The 13 entities include the Chungnam Social Enterprise Council, Chungnam Village Enterprise Council, Chungnam-Sejong Self-Reliance Enterprise Association, Chungnam Tassum Social Cooperative Federation, Chungnam Venture Association, Korea Federation of Small and Business Enterprises Chungnam Regional Headquarters, Pulmu Consumer Cooperative, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation Chungnam-Sejong Headquarters, National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives Chungchung Headquarters, National Credit Union Federation of Korea Daejeon-Chungnam Regional Headquarters, National Forestry Cooperatives Federation Daejeon-Sejong-Chungnam Regional Headquarters, National Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives Daejeon-Sejong-Chungnam Regional Headquarters, and Chungnam Yeonyoncho Production Cooperative.

The 3 national movement organizations are the Chungcheongnam-do Saemaul Movement, the Council of Saemaul and Better Living Movements Chungcheongnam-do, and the Korea Freedom League Chungcheongnam-do Branch.

The social solidarity economy prioritizes the values of people and community, engages in economic activities through cooperation and solidarity, and shares the outcomes with members of society, serving as an economic model that complements the limitations of a market economy.

This agreement was prepared for the sustainable growth of the social solidarity economy, balanced regional development, the discovery and promotion of joint projects through the strengthening of solidarity and cooperation systems among the contracting parties, and the resolution of local community issues.

According to the agreement, the province and each council, headquarters, etc., agreed to mutually cooperate in:

*Discovering and promoting social solidarity economy revitalization policies and joint projects
*Sharing information, data, and policy achievements related to the social solidarity economy
*Expanding sales channels for social solidarity economy organizations and supporting sustainable growth
*Discovering and promoting joint projects to resolve local community issues

Efforts will also be made toward:

*Jointly promoting capacity-building projects such as education, PR, and consulting
*Enhancing financial accessibility and strengthening cooperation for financial support linkages
*Promoting win-win cooperation with businesses and public institutions and linking social contribution projects
*Building and operating a network to create a social solidarity economy ecosystem

The province and each council, headquarters, etc., plan to establish a continuous communication and cooperation system between institutions, and materialize the contents of the agreement and lead to the discovery and promotion of joint projects through the designation of institutional persons in charge and the formation and operation of a working-level consultative body.

The province expects that this agreement will serve as a starting point for connecting the resources and capabilities possessed by each entity to jointly solve various problems facing the local community.

Governor Park Soo-hyun stated, "Beyond the large enterprise-centered 'trickle-down economy,' Chungnam aims to create a 'fountain economy' where the capabilities of residents and businesses well up from the bottom to solve local community problems and realize community benefits and social values."

He also emphasized, "Chungnam has various organizations and entities that have protected the region and communities for a long time, and the experiences and capabilities they have accumulated are precious regional assets. When these assets are connected and cooperate within the new trend of the social solidarity economy, a differentiated cooperation model unique to Chungnam will be created."

Furthermore, he said, "For the social solidarity economy to take deep root and bear fruit in Chungnam, the experience and wisdom of all of you who have forged the path in the field are absolutely necessary," urging solidarity and cooperation that transcend each other's domains.

Following the agreement ceremony that day, a forum was held to seek out directions for the development of the Chungnam social solidarity economy and reflect the voices of the field in policies.

At the forum, Kwon Young-woo, Director of the Social Solidarity Economy System Division at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Yoon Deok-hee, Director of the Social Solidarity Economy Policy Division of the Province, respectively introduced government policy directions and the province's plans to promote the revitalization of the social solidarity economy.

In the subsequent discussion, Governor Park Soo-hyun and attendees shared the roles and achievements performed by the social solidarity economy in the local community, and discussed various plans to solve problems faced, such as population decline, local extinction, care gaps, weakening rural vitality, and polarization.

Following the forum, a grand festival event included commendations for persons of merit and forums across three sessions: △ Social Solidarity Economy Impact Forum, △ Strategies and Tasks of Local Businesses Responding to Local Extinction, and △ Possibilities of Local Culture and Arts Communities.

Meanwhile, the province has newly established the Social Solidarity Economy Bureau for the first time nationwide, laying the foundation to comprehensively promote related policies and 사업 (projects) that were previously dispersed across various departments.

The province plans to pursue the enactment of a basic ordinance on the social solidarity economy and the establishment of mid- to long-term plans, while expanding the participation of social solidarity economy organizations and public-private cooperation in major policy fields such as care, housing, energy, and rural/fishing villages to discover projects based on local needs.

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