City, Province, and Councils Dispatch 12 Members
Joint Office Established
A Balanced Development Model Linked to the "Five Axes, Three Special Zones" National Agenda
"A New Growth Opportunity for Mutual Prosperity and Coexistence of 3.2 Million Residents"
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung attended the "Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan Union Promotion Planning Team Plaque Unveiling Ceremony" held in the Happiness Conference Room on the first floor of the city hall on the morning of the 8th, and unveiled the plaque with the guests. Provided by Gwangju City
On September 8, Gwangju City and South Jeolla Province held the "Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan Union Promotion Planning Team Plaque Unveiling Ceremony" in front of the Happiness Conference Room on the first floor of Gwangju City Hall.
This event was organized to announce to the public the launch of the jointly formed Promotion Planning Team, following the official declaration on August 27 by both regions of the establishment of the "Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan Union" as a special local government. The ceremony also served as an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to cooperation.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung, Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs Ko Gwang-wan, South Jeolla Province Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Myung Chang-hwan, Gwangju City Council Vice Chair Seo Yong-gyu, and South Jeolla Provincial Council Vice Chair Lee Kwang-il, among others.
The attendees hung the plaque for the "Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan Union Promotion Planning Team" and pledged to create new growth opportunities for Gwangju and South Jeolla, promoting mutual prosperity and coexistence for the 3.2 million residents of both regions.
The Promotion Planning Team shared upcoming schedules and preparation plans, and also committed to developing concrete implementation strategies to achieve their shared goal of launching the Special Metropolitan Union within the year.
The Promotion Planning Team consists of one division, one section, and two teams, with a total of 12 members: five from Gwangju City, five from South Jeolla Province, and one each from the city and provincial councils. Around November, the team will be expanded and reorganized into a Joint Promotion Team, with additional personnel and organizational support to accelerate practical preparations for the official launch.
The launch of this Promotion Planning Team is significant as it marks the beginning of the full-scale implementation phase for the Special Metropolitan Union, following ongoing discussions and consultations between the two regions, who share the need for wide-area cooperation.
In particular, as an autonomy-based cooperation model linked to the national balanced development strategy "Five Axes, Three Special Zones" (5Guk3Teuk), the union is expected to serve as a testbed for national balanced development policies to address shared issues such as youth employment, metropolitan transportation, and residential environments.
Mayor Kang Gi-jung stated, "The Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan Union is not just administrative cooperation; it will foster future industries across sectors such as industry, transportation, and culture, enhance accessibility by expanding the metropolitan transportation network, and strengthen cultural and tourism competitiveness. Through this, we will organically connect the resources and capabilities of both regions, improve quality of life, and develop into a collaborative model for the future. Coupled with the government's Five Axes, Three Special Zones national balanced growth strategy, this will become a turning point for Gwangju and South Jeolla to emerge as a new central axis of balanced development."
South Jeolla Province Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Myung Chang-hwan said, "The Special Metropolitan Union is an important first step in leading the future of the Honam region and the new government's Five Axes, Three Special Zones strategy. We hope that its successful launch will enrich the lives of 3.2 million residents and become a new growth engine that drives Korea's development with the strength of Honam."
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