Metropolitan Administrative Cooperation Council to Launch in Capital Region

Three provincial governments—Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon—will establish a "Metropolitan Administrative Cooperation Council" to jointly address various complex issues in the capital region.

A Gyeonggi Province official announced on the 18th, "The three capital region governments plan to sign and announce a joint metropolitan administrative agreement by October, and working-level personnel will meet this month to draft a memorandum of understanding."

The joint agreement is expected to include provisions for mutual cooperation and seeking solutions in four areas: air quality, water quality, transportation, and welfare.

The metropolitan administrative agreement follows a decision made by the three provincial governors—Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hun, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Mun-soo, and Incheon Mayor An Sang-soo, all from the Grand National Party—during the May 31 local elections to jointly establish a standing consultative body for developing and implementing joint policies for the capital region.

Following the signing of the joint agreement, the three provinces plan to discuss ways to establish a standing body called the "(tentatively named) Metropolitan Administrative Cooperation Council."

The formation of the Metropolitan Administrative Cooperation Council represents an extension of Governor Kim's so-called "Greater Capital Region" initiative, which aims to eliminate administrative barriers between jurisdictions to enhance efficiency. Attention is focused on whether his vision will be realized.

A provincial official stated, "Capital region residents are experiencing tremendous inconvenience due to invisible administrative barriers between regions," and added, "The Metropolitan Administrative Cooperation Council will be able to efficiently resolve the tangled conflicts and issues in various sectors such as transportation and environment."