Kang Ki-jung Advocates for Establishment of 'Honam Region Ultra-Wide Area Cooperation Promotion Team' in Government Organization Restructuring

"National Balanced Development Major Shift, Should Be Adopted as a Core Strategy for Honam Development"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Kang Ki-jung proposed reorganizing the government and establishing the ‘Honam Region Ultra-Wide Area Cooperation Promotion Team.’

Former Secretary Kang stated in a press release on the 18th, “The ‘ultra-wide area cooperation project,’ which will be a major turning point for national balanced development, must be adopted as the core strategy for Honam’s development.”

He added, “President Roh Moo-hyun opened the era of national balanced development, and the Moon Jae-in administration presented a new paradigm called ‘ultra-wide area cooperation.’ Cooperation policies between regions beyond administrative districts will develop into an important national strategic task for the next government,” he predicted.

To ensure the unwavering promotion of ultra-wide area cooperation policies, he also emphasized the importance of clear leadership and securing independent funding sources, while pointing out the limitations of the related advisory body, the National Balanced Development Committee.

He argued, “The next government should reorganize the current Ministry of the Interior and Safety into an expanded ‘Ministry of Decentralization and Balanced Development’ through government reorganization, assigning it the role of a core ministry for local autonomy and balanced development.”

He also stressed, “Raising the national treasury subsidy rate for the Special Account for Balanced Development announced by the government alone is insufficient to secure funding proportional to the importance and scale of ultra-wide area cooperation projects,” and emphasized, “A new ultra-wide area cooperation account should be established to significantly expand the Special Account for Balanced Development, which has remained at 10 trillion won for 10 years.”

Furthermore, emphasizing the solidarity of the political circles in Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk, he advocated for ▲ the establishment of the ‘Honam Region Ultra-Wide Area Cooperation Promotion Team’ led by the Democratic Party branches of Gwangju City, Jeonnam Province, and Jeonbuk Province ▲ the establishment of the central party’s ‘Ultra-Wide Area Cooperation Special Committee’ and the expansion and reorganization of the ‘Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Megacity Future Strategy Promotion Committee’ ▲ and the necessity of holding ‘Honam Region Ultra-Wide Area Cooperation Forums’ involving civil society, experts, and political circles.

He also mentioned detailed tasks from the recently announced ‘7 Major Presidential Election Pledges for the Honam Region,’ including the hydrogen ultra-fast transit network, a 10 million-pyeong airport city, medical city, 22nd-century Disney Land, climate and atmospheric environment industry, and future energy and data talent cultivation.

Former Secretary Kang said, “Since these ultra-wide area cooperation projects, announced as active support areas by the government, align with the presidential election pledges, let us unite our efforts to designate and promote them as Honam Region ultra-wide area cooperation projects.”