Cities and provinces in Korea's non-capital areas are moving toward sweeping regional administrative integration in pursuit of "balanced national development."
Creating more special megacities through the integration plan is part of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s flagship national development agenda known as “5 mega-regions, 3 special provinces."
The initiative seeks to move beyond the Seoul-centric development model through restructuring the country into five broad economic zones alongside three special autonomous provinces.
The government announced earlier this year that it will provide up to 5 trillion won ($3.45 billion) a year for up to four years to each integrated city, adding that each city will be granted status equivalent to that of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and have more fiscal autonomy.
The legislative process for the project has already started, with the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee approving three bills on Thursday for the integration of Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province, Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, and Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province into new “special metropolitan cities.”
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) plans to pass the bills at a plenary session immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, with the goal of holding the June local elections under the integrated special metropolitan city framework.
Lawmakers hold discussions over three bills aimed at administrative integration during a plenary session of the Public Administration and Security Committee at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Under the proposed integration, Daejeon-South Chungcheong special city will seek to secure funding to foster advanced industries, including physical artificial intelligence (AI), future mobility, semiconductors, biohealth, defense, display technology and energy, as Daejeon already hosts many science-related state institutes and research labs.
Plans also include expanding railway and road networks within the envisioned Daejeon-South Chungcheong city, along with strengthening medical and educational infrastructure, enhancing disaster response systems and investing in underdeveloped areas.
The Daegu-North Gyeongsang region is likewise seeking to bolster its industrial competitiveness through the integration. Proposals include deregulation from labor rules, special status for national high-tech strategic industries, incentives for the secondary battery sector and the creation of special deregulation zones for AI, drones and autonomous vehicles. The strategy aims to transform the existing industrial belt spanning Pohang, Gumi and Daegu into a hub for emerging industries.
Source: Korea Times News
