Cheong Wa Dae said on the 20th it would set up a "task force (TF) for fiscal support to integrated local governments" to support the tentatively named integrated special cities for Gwangju–South Jeolla and Daejeon–South Chungcheong, among others. The move is to flesh out the administrative integration incentive plan the government released earlier. Cheong Wa Dae Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom will serve as Director General of the TF, with Cheong Wa Dae Fiscal Planning Secretary Ryu Deok-hyun and Ministry of Planning and Budget Vice Minister Lim Gi-geun serving as co-coordinators.
According to Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kim Nam-joon, the government will form the TF led by Kim to discuss fiscal support for integrated local governments. The core is to provide bold fiscal support of up to 5 trillion won per year and up to 20 trillion won over four years to the integrated special cities, and to grant them a status comparable to Seoul. To ensure firm incentives, autonomy and accountability, the government plans to reallocate national resources, including creating an administrative integration local allocation tax and an administrative integration support fund (tentative name).
The TF will include Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo and Senior Secretary for Economic Growth Ha Jun-kyung at Cheong Wa Dae, as well as vice ministers from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, and Ministry of Education. Going forward, Secretary Ryu will lead a working-level TF composed of director general-level officials from relevant ministries and administrative officers from Cheong Wa Dae senior and secretary offices. Kim, the Spokesperson, said, "With the launch of the TF, we will swiftly hold the first meeting in January and rapidly draw up and release detailed plans for fiscal support for integrated local governments."