The Korea Federation of Special Self-Governing Cities and Provinces, composed of Sejong Special Self-Governing City and Jeju, Gangwon, and Jeonbuk State, issued a joint statement on the 21st saying special self-governing cities and provinces must not be sidelined amid momentum for wide-area administrative integration such as Gwangju-South Jeolla and Daejeon-South Chungcheong.
They argued that while discussions on administrative integration are moving quickly, including the enactment of a special law on wide-area administrative integration and the government's announcement of integration incentives, it is problematic that handling of bills related to the four special self-governing cities and provinces continues to be delayed.
While incentives for integrated local governments are being discussed in detail, there has been no discussion at all regarding special self-governing cities and provinces. The federation said, "Compared with integrated special cities, relative deprivation and regional imbalance could widen," and emphasized, "Along with the special law on administrative integration, the Special Act on the Administrative Capital and the special laws on Gangwon, Jeju, and Jeonbuk must be handled simultaneously."
Choi Min-ho, Sejong mayor, said, "The state agenda of '5 poles, 3 specials' presented by the government attains completeness only when pursued together with 'completion of Sejong as the administrative capital,'" and added, "The Special Act on the Administrative Capital, the legal basis for completing the administrative capital, must be enacted together with the special law on wide-area administrative integration."