Official Launch of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Self-Governing Province Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee

Formed Through Voluntary Participation of Residents
174 Residents from Sectors Including Religion, Labor, and Academia Join
Various Campaigns Such as Signature Drives Planned
Will Help Build Consensus for the Special Autonomous Province

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 5th that the ‘Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee)’ was officially launched on the 4th at Uijeongbu Island Castle.

Afternoon Seok, Deputy Governor of Administrative Affairs 2 of Gyeonggi Province, is responding to residents' questions about the vision and direction of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Self-Governing Province. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

The Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee is a voluntary organization of 174 residents from various sectors including religion, civil society, labor, and academia who share the intention of establishing the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province.

The event, hosted and organized by the Preparatory Committee of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee, was held successfully with the participation of not only the Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee members but also interested local residents.

Prior to the launch ceremony, a founding general meeting was held to discuss key agenda items related to the launch of the Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee. The meeting included a progress report on the committee, the establishment of regulations, adoption of a statement of purpose, decision on the business plan, and the election and appointment of key executives such as 25 co-chairpersons and 6 advisors of the Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee.

Professor Jang In-bong of Shinhan University and lawyer Kim Hyo-kyung read the statement of purpose, saying, "The Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province is the hope and future of the Republic of Korea. It is not a choice but a matter of survival. We must create the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province with our own hands."

The co-chairpersons said, “The establishment of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province can no longer be delayed. It is time to act, and the Pan-Citizen Promotion Committee of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province will take the lead and contribute to the establishment of the province.”

Following this, a public forum titled ‘Key Issues and Tasks of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province’ was held with the participation of about 300 Gyeonggi residents. Participants were recruited through the Gyeonggi Province website. It is known that local community civic groups also actively participated in the forum.

The residents who participated in this forum generally expressed expectations for changes following the establishment of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province and agreed on its vision and necessity.

A resident A from Uijeongbu said, “If improvements are not made in terms of deregulation, the northern part of Gyeonggi will not be able to move beyond its current state,” adding, “The establishment of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province is absolutely necessary for this.”

On the other hand, many residents voiced concerns about the feasibility, citing a lack of concrete evidence for the expected changes from the establishment of the special autonomous province.

A resident B from Namyangju said, “The expectation that the quality of life will improve through the establishment of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province is a vague hope,” adding, “A specific plan on how to ease regulations after the establishment must be presented, and alternatives should be prepared in case things do not go well to gain residents’ trust.”

Oh Hu-seok, Deputy Governor for Administration, said, “The establishment of the Gyeonggi Northern Special Autonomous Province is an issue that should be decided by the will of the residents living in Gyeonggi Province,” and added, “I hope this discussion will become a public deliberation forum to jointly consider the future of northern Gyeonggi.”