Joint Proposal to Promote the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Megacity through Central Government-Led Balanced Development Policy

Expansion of the Special Account for National Balanced Development and Establishment of a Super-Regional Cooperation Support Account
Official Request to Include Special Local Governments in the Local Allocation Tax Support 대상

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] The Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) region has actively stepped forward to promote regional linkage cooperation projects, including the Bu-Ul-Gyeong Megacity, as government policies.

On the 11th, Gyeongsangnam-do attended the Megacity Support Inter-Ministerial TF Support Team meeting and jointly proposed the promotion of Megacity policies with Busan and Ulsan.

This meeting was the first working-level meeting of the Megacity Support Inter-Ministerial TF, launched on April 27, where the Megacity promotion plan was shared and future promotion measures were discussed.

At the meeting, Bu-Ul-Gyeong requested that support for the region's ultra-wide cooperation be institutionalized at the government level, that groundbreaking financial support measures be prepared, and that local governments be involved in the Megacity Support Inter-Ministerial TF to continuously discuss related matters.

They also proposed that facility and operating costs be supported for the construction of metropolitan railway networks in non-capital regions to promote ultra-wide cooperation projects through the expansion of living zones.

While the government has supported 14 metropolitan railway construction projects in the capital region with more than 3.3 trillion won, only 3 projects in non-capital regions have received 200 billion won. Therefore, it is argued that support for metropolitan transportation network construction should focus on balanced development rather than economic feasibility to reduce the gap between the capital and non-capital regions.

Governor Kim Kyung-soo has raised concerns that the overconcentration in the capital region has reached a level that threatens the sustainability of the Republic of Korea.

As a solution, he proposed a transition to a multipolar system through flexible regional development strategies centered on living and economic zones, and has led the Bu-Ul-Gyeong Megacity as a new regional growth strategy.

Gyeongsangnam-do, Busan, and Ulsan are promoting the establishment of a special local government for the Bu-Ul-Gyeong Megacity and plan to launch a joint promotion team around July.

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