Active Promotion of Northern Region Peace Economy Belt Strategy Connecting Gangwon with Establishment of Gyeonggi Bukdo
Despite Population of 3.9 Million in Northern Gyeonggi, Fiscal Independence 15%p Lower than Southern Gyeonggi
"Expecting Regional Economic Revitalization and Balanced Development"
Balanced Development Pursued Alongside Megacities of Buulgyung, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Chungcheong, and Honam
[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Former leader and presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon, announced on the 30th that he plans to establish 'Gyeonggi Bukdo' by separating the northern part of Gyeonggi Province and to promote a new vision for a peace economy megacity connecting northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon.
Coincidentally, on the same day, Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung began his first nationwide tour schedule of 3 nights and 4 days, leaving his home, which has drawn even more attention to Lee Nak-yeon's move.
On that day, at the 'Roundtable on National Balanced Development and Gyeonggi Province Division' held at the Peace Square of the Northern Office of Gyeonggi Provincial Government in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, Lee said, "If the northern region peace economy belt strategy connecting northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon is actively promoted, it will be possible to achieve both regional economic revitalization and balanced development," adding, "there is a need to separate the relatively underdeveloped northern Gyeonggi from Gyeonggi Province and establish Gyeonggi Bukdo."
The division of Gyeonggi Province was pledged by candidate Roh Tae-woo in the 1987 presidential election, but there has been no progress in establishing Gyeonggi Bukdo for 35 years since then. As a result, the gap between southern and northern Gyeonggi and the relative underdevelopment of the north have gradually widened.
Lee presented four reasons why the establishment of Gyeonggi Bukdo is necessary.
First, it is necessary for balanced development between southern and northern Gyeonggi. According to Lee's camp, the population of northern Gyeonggi is 3.92 million, ranking third among 17 metropolitan local governments, but the financial independence rate of cities and counties is 29.9% in the northern region and 45.3% in the south, showing a 15 percentage point difference. The per capita GDRP (Gross Domestic Regional Product) is 39.69 million KRW in the south, compared to 24.01 million KRW in the north, about 60% of the southern level. While there are 166 industrial complexes in southern Gyeonggi, northern Gyeonggi has only 54.
Lee's camp explained that by establishing Gyeonggi Bukdo and promoting policies, infrastructure development, urban and industrial growth, and increased financial independence can be achieved simultaneously.
Second, due to the separation of northern and southern Gyeonggi with Seoul in the middle, significant inconvenience arises from the division of living and economic zones. Various administrative infrastructures are concentrated in southern Gyeonggi, and administrative demands in northern Gyeonggi cannot be resolved locally, so it is necessary to align these for residents' convenience.
Third, Lee cited the need for compensation for the northern Gyeonggi region, which has suffered under border area regulations in the name of national security for over 60 years. Lastly, Lee argued that Gyeonggi Bukdo is necessary to serve as an advanced base preparing for the era of peace on the Korean Peninsula. With the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue and the activation of inter-Korean exchanges, a local government that will lead these efforts is needed, and Gyeonggi Bukdo should take on that role.
Regarding concerns that this might be a metropolitan area development idea when balanced development is a crucial national task, Lee stated that by promoting the new vision of a peace economy megacity connecting Gyeonggi Bukdo and Gangwon, regional economic revitalization and balanced development can be realized simultaneously.
Lee emphasized, "We will actively support the establishment and promotion of a peace economy belt strategy looking toward the unification era and elevate it to the level of the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) megacity strategy. We will also promote megacity plans pursued by Bu-Ul-Gyeong, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Chungcheong, and Honam in a multidimensional manner to implement a national grand plan achieving the three major goals of regional economic revitalization, regional job creation, and balanced development."
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