인구 320만 메가시티, '전남광주 통합시' 출범[목포MBC 뉴스투데이]

[Mokpo MBC News] ◀ Anchor ▶ The local elections to elect the first Mayor of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City and the Superintendent of Education have concluded smoothly. Now, on the 1st of next month, the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City will be launched following the administrative integration between metropolitan local governments—a first in constitutional history. Once the Integrated Special City sets sail, how will the region's status and economy change? Reporter Han Shin-gu has compiled the report. ◀ Report ▶ The Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, launching on the 1st of next month, will become a super-metropolitan local government with a population of 3.2 million, occupying 12% of South Korea's land area. The Mayor of the Integrated Special City will hold a ministerial-level position, possessing a status equivalent to that of the Mayor of Seoul, along with powerful autonomous authority. You will be able to attend Cabinet meetings to represent key regional issues to the central government, and major development and administrative licensing authority currently held by government ministries will be transferred to the Integrated Special City. This establishes a basis for swiftly implementing region-tailored policies without having to worry about the central government's reaction... Preliminary feasibility studies will be waived for large-scale projects, and securing state funding will become easier than before. In particular, a green light has been given to fostering future strategic industries, such as the Gwangju Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cluster and the creation of energy and semiconductor specialized complexes in Jeonnam, projects where synergy effects were previously difficult to expect due to divided administrative districts. ◀ INT ▶ South Jeolla Province Governor Kim Young-rok (Town Hall Meeting, February 4) "I believe Gwangju and Jeonnam must put their heads together to create a blueprint for the future, particularly one that fosters industry." As an incentive for the merger, the province will receive financial support from the government, including special grants worth 20 trillion won over four years. With the establishment of a foundation for tax revenue self-sufficiency, the region will significantly increase the funds available for self-sufficiency by resolving chronic fiscal deficits through measures such as special provisions for the transfer of national taxes to local taxes. Additional benefits, such as priority placement, will also be granted to the integrated special city during the second phase of the relocation of public institutions located in the capital area. With not only administrative organizations but also education being unified, the era of educational autonomy—realizing "urban-rural integrated education"—is set to begin in earnest. However, regarding the location of the main government building following the administrative merger, and budget allocation based on the disparity between urban and rural areas, how can latent regional conflicts be wisely resolved? Whether to resolve this remains a challenge. The Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, promoted to overcome the unipolar system of the capital region and respond to the crisis of regional extinction, is thus embarking on a voyage that marks a new milestone, carrying both expectations and concerns. This is Han Shin-gu from MBC News.