Chungnam Hongseong and Yesan Counties to Establish and Operate 'Local Government Association' Within the Year

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province has reached a final agreement with Hongseong and Yesan counties to establish the ‘Chungnam Innovation City Local Government Association.’ This is the first case where a metropolitan local government and basic local governments have formed an association.

On the 28th, the province announced that Yang Seung-jo, Governor of Chungnam, Kim Seok-hwan, Mayor of Hongseong County, and Hwang Seon-bong, Mayor of Yesan County, met at the provincial government situation room and signed a business agreement on the establishment and operation of the Chungnam local government association.

The Chungnam local government association is being established to maintain and manage Naepodong City as a single living zone, provide unified administrative services, attract public institutions, and successfully promote Chungnam Innovation City, thereby fostering Naepo New City as a central city in the Yellow Sea Rim region.

The province plans to form a preparatory committee starting next month and apply for establishment to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, expecting that full-scale activities could begin as early as the second half of this year.

Previously, in December last year, the province established a basic plan for the Chungnam local government association with Hongseong and Yesan counties. According to the basic plan, the association will operate with one headquarters chief, three divisions, and nine teams.

Additionally, Hongseong and Yesan counties will share the costs required for general operation of the association and maintenance and management of facilities within Naepo New City, including the automatic garbage collection facility.

For the year of the association’s establishment, Hongseong County will bear 76% and Yesan County 24% of the costs. From the following year, the cost-sharing ratio will be recalculated annually during budget preparation by applying the previous year’s population and area in the same proportion.

The province will also cover one-third of the general operating expenses of the association and actively support securing national funds such as local allocation tax and provincial funds when promoting new projects.

Regarding the automatic garbage collection facility, after the association is established, the province will support half of the operating costs. For repairs, demolition or closure, and reinstallation of the facility, the scale of provincial funding will be decided in consultation with Hongseong and Yesan counties, considering cases from other new cities.

The main tasks of the Chungnam local government association include ▲ operation and support of resident autonomy activities ▲ promotion of various ceremonial events and local festivals ▲ maintenance, management, and operation of public facilities and infrastructure such as roads, rivers, parks, green spaces, plazas, public land, and street trees ▲ consultation on public transportation plans and introduction and operation of circular buses ▲ maintenance, management, and operation of joint utility facilities ▲ architectural landscape review, consultation on outdoor advertisements, and approval consultation for housing construction projects ▲ consultation and coordination on district unit plan changes ▲ support for attracting universities, hospitals, public institutions, companies, and organizations.

Governor Yang said, “Until now, Naepo New City has been divided into two administrative jurisdictions within one living zone, causing inconvenience to residents. However, once the association is established, administration within the living zone will be unified, and joint responses to public institution relocations will be possible, which is expected to accelerate the completion of Chungnam Innovation City.”