The Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development on the 30th finalized a national balanced growth strategy to reorganize the capital area's single-pole structure into a "5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces." The 5 poles refer to five mega regions—capital area, southeast region, Daegyeong region, central region, and Honam region—while the 3 special self-governing provinces are three special self-governing provinces (Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Jeonbuk State).
Chairperson Kim Kyeong-soo of the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development said at the first plenary session held that afternoon in the main conference room of the committee in Sejong, "The mission of a people-sovereignty government is to make regional growth become national growth," adding, "To prevent local extinction, we must change Korea's growth map from a single-pole capital area to 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces."
The meeting was attended by ex officio Commissioners who serve as Cabinet members in the Lee Jae-myung administration and appointed private-sector Commissioners. Participants approved agenda items including the "blueprint for the 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces national balanced growth promotion strategy" and a "partial amendment to the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development operating rules."
The blueprint for the 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces national balanced growth promotion strategy consists of three major areas—▲ 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces economic sphere: growth and concentration ▲ 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces living sphere: consolidation and diffusion ▲ 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces implementation base: building administrative and fiscal foundations—along with 11 strategic tasks and 144 detailed tasks.
First, the government plans to foster future strategic industries for region-based megacities as an economic sphere strategic task grounded in advanced technologies. It will create them by linking regions' existing flagship industries with AI (artificial intelligence) and build an AX (AI great transformation) smart manufacturing platform in pilot national industrial complexes so existing flagship industries can simultaneously strengthen their competitiveness. It will establish AI-specialized contract departments to train AI talent and expand innovation centers for research personnel.
It plans comprehensive support from consulting to business conversion so that manufacturing-centered small and midsize to mid-tier companies can shift to future industries. It will also promote regional economic revitalization by building region-specific tourism content and infrastructure (facilities) based on the AI great transformation.
Regarding the living sphere, the 17 city and provincial administrative systems will be redesigned into 5 poles and 3 special self-governing provinces. It will also strengthen consolidation networks and integrated linkages for housing, medical care, and welfare by building a 60-minute transportation system for the mega regions. The aim is to make commuting, schooling, and tourism possible within 60 minutes in the regions, as in Seoul. To that end, 11 major arterial road projects connecting the nation will be opened, and metropolitan buses and BRT will be expanded nationwide.
In addition, it will fully activate a "special mega-region agreement" in which the central government, local governments, and the private sector move as one team, and establish a budget allocation system that favors localities.
Chairperson Kim Kyeong-soo said, "The committee will provide full-scale support so that regional pledges can be organically linked beyond ministerial silos and the boundaries of cities and provinces to become new growth engines," adding, "We will back the realization of the goals by supporting budget reflection through consultations with relevant ministries and fiscal authorities."