Daegu-Gyeongbuk Equal Integration Method 'Special Metropolitan City' vs Daegu Special City-Centered 'Metropolitan Autonomous Province' Proposal Presented
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] The administrative integration plan for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region has been narrowed down to two options: 'Special Metropolitan City' and 'Metropolitan Autonomous Province.'
The 'Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special Metropolitan City' plan applies an equal integration method between the same administrative levels of metropolitan-metropolitan and basic-basic, reorganizing into a system of 31 autonomous districts, cities, and counties (7 autonomous districts, 10 cities, 14 counties).
The 'Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special Autonomous Province' plan focuses on reorganizing Daegu City into a special city form by applying a convergent integration method. This plan maintains the Gyeongbuk region as the current 23 cities and counties, while changing the basic local governments in the Daegu area into quasi-autonomous districts.
The Daegu-Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Public Deliberation Committee (co-chairs Kim Tae-il and Ha Hye-su) announced this basic administrative integration plan draft on the 2nd at City Hall.
The basic plan draft was prepared based on discussions from the first to third rounds of non-face-to-face online forums. According to the Public Deliberation Committee, it includes contents on administrative efficiency, government office locations, the impact of integration on industry and economy, and changes in the daily lives of city and provincial residents.
Regarding the finances of administrative integration, the focus will be on increasing the total budget of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special Autonomous Government by securing special provisions for local allocation tax and local education finance grants, similar to Jeju Province.
Co-chair Ha Hye-su explained, "The budget allocation between metropolitan and basic local governments will vary depending on the administrative integration model, but we plan to prepare special provisions for adjustment grants so that the budgets of cities, counties, and districts do not significantly decrease compared to before."
With the disclosure of the basic plan, discussions on administrative integration are expected to accelerate. Starting from the 4th, large-scale public forums for residents of the four regions (Daegu area, Eastern area, Western area, Northern area) will be held consecutively.
The large forums will kick off on the 4th at Daegu EXCO, followed by Pohang (POSCO International Hall) on the 5th, Gumi (GumiCO) on the 8th, and Andong (Provincial Office Dongnak Hall) on the 9th.
The Public Deliberation Committee plans to submit the final basic administrative integration plan to Gyeongbuk Province and Daegu City around late April or early May after conducting big data analysis, deliberative public surveys, and final opinion polls.
Following this, the roadmap of the Public Deliberation Committee includes holding a resident referendum on administrative integration in August, submitting a special law to the National Assembly in September, deciding on its passage in November, and electing the integrated metropolitan government head of Daegu and Gyeongbuk in next year’s local elections.
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