District mayors in Gwangju have welcomed the introduction of a special law amendment that would convert the five autonomous districts of the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City into independent cities.
The Council of District Mayors of the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City issued a statement Monday expressing strong support for the proposed amendment. "We wholeheartedly welcome the special law amendment to convert Gwangju's five autonomous districts into cities," the council said, adding that the bill "is not simply an administrative reorganization that replaces 'gu' with 'si.'"
The council said the amendment represents "an institutional starting point for 27 basic local governments to strengthen a more balanced foundation of autonomy and fiscal capacity within the new wide-area administrative framework created after the administrative integration of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province." The goal, it said, is not to divide Gwangju into five parts, but to build up the autonomous capacity of each region within a larger Gwangju.
The council also said stronger autonomy and fiscal authority would allow local governments to decide and carry out projects residents need more quickly. It added that everyday issues — including local commerce, employment, transportation, welfare, care services, education and culture — could be addressed in ways suited to each area's characteristics.
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Yang Bu-nam, who represents Seo-gu (B) in the South Jeolla-Gwangju constituency, introduced the amendment Monday. The bill calls for abolishing the existing five districts — Dong-gu, Seo-gu, Nam-gu, Buk-gu and Gwangsan-gu — and replacing them with five new cities: East Gwangju, West Gwangju, South Gwangju, North Gwangju and Gwangsan.
Some civic groups pushed back, warning that converting the five districts into cities would effectively fragment a single administrative entity. They held a press conference Monday morning in front of the Democratic Party of Korea office in Seo-gu, calling for the bill to be withdrawn.
sij@heraldcorp.com
