Special Cities Mayors Association Urges Presidential Policy Planning Committee to Enact 'Special Law on Support for Special Cities'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Chan-hyuk] The Special Cities Mayors Association of the Republic of Korea (Chairman Jeong Myeong-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City) delivered on the 9th a proposal to the Presidential Policy Planning Committee (Chairman Lee Han-joo) containing provisions for the enactment of a 'Special Law on Support for Special Cities' and the expansion of special cities' authority through amendments to the Local Autonomy Act, and to grant special cities legal status. The association also held discussions to resolve pending issues of special cities.

At today's policy briefing session requested by the Political Administration Division of the Presidential Policy Planning Committee (Division Director Lee Hae-sik), Jeong Myeong-geun, mayor of Hwaseong, Lee Jae-jun, mayor of Suwon, and Lee Sang-il, mayor of Yongin, attended.

The proposal delivered in the name of the Special Cities Mayors Association of the Republic of Korea contained the following: △Processing of amendments to the 'Local Autonomy Act' proposed by the National Assembly, and support for securing legal status for special cities through the enactment of a 'Special Law on Support for Special Cities' △Expansion and increase of adjusted subsidy funding sources and tax-shared revenue distribution rates so that special cities performing administrative functions at the level of metropolitan cities can operate with financial stability △Active discovery and transfer of substantial and effective administrative functions for special cities.

The association stated, "Special cities must be granted substantive autonomy in administration and finance, going beyond simply expanding urban scale," and requested, "Furthermore, please support inter-regional cooperation and mutual development between depopulating areas and the five special cities together."

Jeong Myeong-geun, chairman of the Special Cities Mayors Association, said, "Hwaseong City is a city with the most concentrated small and medium enterprises in the nation, numbering approximately 28,000," and added, "Although we want to implement customized policies for enterprises, we are experiencing many limitations in the field due to the lack of substantive authority," emphasizing that "Hwaseong City particularly needs to secure special provisions in the industrial and economic sectors."

In response, Lee Hae-sik, director of the Political Administration Division of the Presidential Policy Planning Committee, stated, "We will maintain continuous communication with the Special Cities Mayors Association to improve the legal system for the smooth operation of special cities and the realization of local autonomy."