Maintaining Metropolitan Entities While Restructuring Administrative System

A bill restructuring the local administrative system while maintaining the existing framework of provincial governments (provinces), Seoul Special City, and metropolitan cities has been submitted to the National Assembly.

The bill also includes provisions to classify integrated local governments by population size (designated cities, core cities, and specified cities) and apply different legal statuses and administrative exceptions accordingly.

While government implementation plans and previously proposed bills on administrative restructuring aim to simplify the administrative system by abolishing provinces and other metropolitan autonomous entities, the bill submitted by Rep. Choi In-gi maintains metropolitan autonomous entities as they are, drawing attention to what impact it may have on the ongoing discussion of administrative restructuring.

On the 30th of last month, Rep. Choi In-gi (Democratic Party, Naju, Jeollanam-do) introduced the 'Basic Act on Local Administrative System Restructuring (hereinafter referred to as the Basic Act)' containing such provisions.

The Basic Act establishes a 'Presidential Committee for the Promotion of Local Administrative System Restructuring (hereinafter referred to as the Promotion Committee)' directly under the President to advance local administrative restructuring.

The Promotion Committee is to be composed of no more than 15 members (7 recommended by the National Assembly), and the provisions specify that it must submit a final report on administrative restructuring activities to the National Assembly within one year, subject to deliberation by the State Council.

In addition, the Promotion Committee is authorized to establish a regionalization plan that includes targets for the regionalization of cities and counties and autonomous districts, as well as standards and methods for integration, and includes a clause allowing it to require the heads of relevant autonomous entities to conduct referendums if integration is deemed necessary.

Furthermore, the Basic Act specifies that integrated local governments with populations of 1 million or more are designated as 'designated cities,' those with 500,000 or more as 'core cities,' and those with 300,000 or more as 'specified cities,' allowing different legal statuses and administrative exceptions for integrated cities according to population size.

In particular, Seoul Special City is to remain intact in consideration of its special status and historical significance as the nation's capital, while autonomous districts with populations below 1 million are to elect only district heads and establish 'district deliberative councils' instead of district councils.

Counties and autonomous districts under metropolitan cities are also to elect county heads and district heads, with the option to establish county deliberative councils or district deliberative councils instead of assemblies as specified.

Provinces and metropolitan cities are also to be maintained, and in the case of provinces, the bill includes provisions to readjust roles and functions to encompass nationally unified matters (such as river and road management) or broad-level affairs requiring coordination between local governments within the jurisdiction.

In addition, the Basic Act includes provisions on division of functions, financial transfers, elimination of disadvantages and guarantees of fair treatment for civil servants, and special cases regarding budgets and special support for integrated local governments.

An official from Rep. Choi In-gi's office explained, "The most significant characteristic of the Basic Act on Local Administrative System Restructuring is that it is structured around maintaining Seoul Special City, provinces, and metropolitan cities as they are, and designates the Promotion Committee as a presidential organization."