The Name of Gangwon-do Changed to Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province After 628 Years
[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] On the 29th, the National Assembly plenary session passed the "Special Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province," which includes provisions granting autonomy to Gangwon Province.
Once the act goes through the State Council and is promulgated, the legislative process will be complete, and it is scheduled to be enforced one year after promulgation. Accordingly, the name "Gangwon-do" will be changed to "Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province" for the first time in 628 years.
The Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province contains the basic framework for guaranteeing local decentralization and enhancing regional competitiveness for the great transformation of Gangwon Province, aiming to improve residents' welfare and promote national development.
The law stipulates that the state has the responsibility to take measures such as ▲formulating plans and policies to realize advanced local decentralization ▲preparing administrative and financial support measures ▲relaxing regulations to revitalize underdeveloped regional development for Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.
As a financial special case, a separate account for the Special Account for Balanced National Development can be established and operated for the development of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Regarding special privileges and support, cities and counties within the special self-governing province may request the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety after consultation with Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.
Additionally, the act stipulates special provisions such as ▲delegation of autonomous affairs (Article 9) ▲resident referendums (Article 11) ▲personnel exchanges and dispatches (Article 12) ▲selection and recruitment of local talents (Article 13).
The province plans to continuously strive to ensure that substantial administrative and financial special cases, such as significant transfer of national affairs, adjustment of ordinary local allocation tax, and establishment of development funds, are gradually expanded, while also receiving authority special cases such as innovative deregulation through a revolutionary restructuring of the industrial structure.
Until now, Gangwon Province has longed for the establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province as a drastic development plan suited to the characteristics of Gangwon to overcome underdevelopment caused by overlapping regulations such as military, environmental, and forest regulations.
Reflecting this situation, the establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province was proposed as a pledge since the 18th presidential election but was not pursued. However, all four presidential candidates in the 20th presidential election pledged it. Subsequently, it was included in the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s national agenda (15 policy tasks of the Regional Balanced Development Special Committee).
The Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province was merged and reviewed with the "Special Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and Designation of the East Coast Economic Free Zone" (September 2020) proposed by Lee Yang-su, a member of the People Power Party (Sokcho, Inje, Goseong, Yangyang), and the "Special Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Peace Special Self-Governing Province" (April 2021) proposed by Heo Young, a member of the Democratic Party (Chuncheon, Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu).
Afterwards, as an alternative by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, it passed through the bill subcommittee (May 2022), the full committee meeting (May 2022), and the National Assembly Judiciary Committee (May 26), and was approved at the National Assembly plenary session on the same day.
Choi Moon-soon, Governor of Gangwon Province, said, "Gangwon Province should continuously strive to ensure that development plans reflecting its role as a leading region-driven balanced development and as a genuine Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province are realized."
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