[Feature] Conflict Over Main Government Office Surfaces Even Before Launch of Gwangju-Jeonnam Administrative Integration

Jeonnam Politicians Push Back Against Gwangju's Likely Selection
Concerns Raised Over Creating a 'Mini-Metropolitan Area' While Aiming to Decentralize Seoul
Na Gwangguk and Others Strongly Demand Main Government Office Be Located in Jeonnam

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, is answering questions from assembly members during the 'Gwangju-Jeonnam Administrative Integration' meeting between the Jeonnam Provincial Council and the executive branch held at the Choi Room of the Jeonnam Provincial Council on the afternoon of the 19th. Provided by Jeonnam Province

As discussions on the launch of the tentatively named 'Gwangju-Jeonnam Administrative Integration Special City' have begun in earnest, conflicts over the location of the main government office have quickly surfaced. This is because the administrative power could effectively be concentrated on one side depending on where the integrated city's mayor works.

Within the local community, there is a prevailing view that Gwangju, with its concentrated administrative, political, and economic infrastructure, will become the main government office. However, political circles in Jeonnam are strongly opposed, arguing, "Isn't Jeonnam simply being absorbed under the name of integration?"

On January 19, Na Gwangguk, a Jeonnam Provincial Council member (Democratic Party of Korea, Muan 2), held a press conference in the briefing room of the Jeonnam Provincial Council and insisted, "The administrative office and the workplace of the head of the integrated local government must be located at the current Jeonnam Provincial Government building." He further explained, "The workplace of the head is not just a matter of space; it determines the direction of power and the budget."

The core of the concerns raised in the Jeonnam region is clear: while integration is the pretext, there is a high possibility that actual power will be concentrated in Gwangju.

Indeed, there are frequent concerns within Jeonnam that if the main government office is established in Gwangju, major administrative functions, population, and capital will flow into Gwangju, leaving Jeonnam marginalized.

During the recently held second meeting between Jeollanam-do and the Provincial Council regarding the Gwangju-Jeonnam administrative integration, many council members also demanded that Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeonnam, clearly state his position on the operation of the main government office. This reflected, to some extent, the distrust toward postponing the issue of the main office location-one of the most sensitive matters in the integration process-as a 'future issue.'

In particular, the voices of lawmakers from the eastern part of Jeonnam, who have experienced the 'aftermath' of previous local integrations, are even more specific.

Kang Moonseong, a Jeonnam Provincial Council member (Democratic Party of Korea, Yeosu 3), pointed out, "During the integration of the three Yeosus (Yeosu, Yeocheon, and Yeocheon County) and the integration of Chonnam National University and Yeosu National University, we trusted the government and participated in the integration, but the result was the concentration of administrative functions in a specific area and an increased gap between regions."

He added, "It has already been proven by experience that the location of the government office determines the rise and fall of a region," emphasizing, "Even after integration, institutional measures are needed to prevent administrative power from being concentrated on one side."

The problem is that the current special law on administrative integration under discussion only contains the general phrase 'utilization of the former Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeollanam-do government offices,' without any specific criteria or principles regarding the main office. This has led to criticism that Gwangju and Jeonnam are merely repeating that the issue is 'under discussion,' while avoiding the core issue.

If administrative integration becomes a reality, it is expected that Gwangju will serve as the center for administration, education, and healthcare, while Jeonnam will take on the role of an agricultural, fisheries, energy, and industrial production base. Although this is described as 'functional division,' in reality, there is a strong possibility that the structure of generating revenue in Jeonnam and spending it in Gwangju will become entrenched. If the main government office is ultimately located in Gwangju, this situation is likely to accelerate even further.

There are also concerns that the administrative integration, which is being promoted to ease the concentration of power in the Seoul metropolitan area, could paradoxically create another 'mini-metropolitan area.'

A political insider in Jeonnam stated, "If integration is pushed forward without resolving the issue of the main government office, conflict is inevitable," adding, "Before the special law passes the National Assembly, at the very least, the principles for operating the government office and mechanisms for power decentralization must be clearly established."