"Trust Over Speed"... Public Forum Held on the Direction of Gwangju-Jeonnam Administrative Integration

At the Gwangju City Council Policy Forum on January 14
Discussion on Procedures, Public Deliberation, and Citizen Participation

As discussions on the administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam become more active, a policy forum was held to examine the direction and challenges of integration from the citizens' perspective.

On January 14, Ahn Pyunghwan, Chair of the Administrative Autonomy Committee of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, hosted a policy forum at the council under the theme "How to Promote Administrative Integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam?"

On the afternoon of the 14th, participants are discussing the direction and challenges of administrative integration at the policy forum titled "How to Promote Administrative Integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam?" held at the Gwangju Metropolitan Council. Provided by Gwangju Metropolitan Council

In his opening remarks, Ahn Pyunghwan stated, "The integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam is an essential survival strategy to respond to local extinction and the centralization of the Seoul metropolitan area," adding, "The integration should be promoted not with speed, but based on the trust of city and provincial residents, fair procedures, and sufficient communication and public discussion."

The forum was moderated by Lee Youngcheol, Professor Emeritus of Public Administration at Chonnam National University. The keynote presentation was delivered by Min Hyunjung, Head of the Future Strategy Research Division at the Gwangju Institute.

In her presentation, Min Hyunjung emphasized that the administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam is a key strategy to address population decline and the crisis of local extinction. She suggested that the enactment of a special law and a phased, systematic approach are needed to realize the "Five Poles, Three Special Zones" concept, which is a national balanced development policy.

The panelists included Cho Jinsang, former Chair of the Jeonnam Local Decentralization Council; Kim Hyoseung, Co-Chair of the Suncheon Environmental Movement Union; Ki Woosik, Secretary-General of the Gwangju Citizens' Organization Council; Lee Cheonjoong, Co-Representative of the Jeonnam Civil Society Solidarity Conference; Park Jongpyeong, Representative of the Village Community Poongdure; and Ahn Pyunghwan, Chair of the Administrative Autonomy Committee of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council.

Former Chair Cho Jinsang stated, "The integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam is an inevitable choice to strengthen metropolitan competitiveness and align living and economic zones," adding, "To maximize the practical effects of integration, institutional support for regional coexistence strategies and the principle of functional decentralization is necessary." He also presented supplementary measures to address concerns about the potential decline in Gwangju's status as the leading city of the Honam region.

Co-Chair Kim Hyoseung pointed out that citizen participation and deliberative procedures have not been sufficiently guaranteed in the process of discussing administrative integration. He argued that a careful approach is needed, based on gathering residents' opinions and public debate, rather than a rushed process driven by political schedules.

Secretary-General Ki Woosik stated that administrative integration should not remain at the level of simple economies of scale. He emphasized that integration should be inclusive, embracing marginalized regions and vulnerable groups. He also raised the need to institutionalize citizen participation through a phased plan for public discussion.

Co-Representative Lee Cheonjoong noted that the current discussions are proceeding rapidly, centered on council consent. He argued that there should be clearer procedures for directly collecting citizens' opinions, such as a resident vote, and that strategies for authority, finance, and balanced development after integration should be more clearly defined.

Representative Park Jongpyeong stated that during the process of discussing administrative integration, issues such as education, youth employment, and village autonomy should be addressed as core topics. He emphasized that the blueprint for integration should be presented in a way that strengthens grassroots democracy.