Lee Nak-yeon, "Establishing 4 Mega Cities and 4 Special Metropolitan Areas... Opening an Era of National Balanced Development"

Chungcheong, Gwangju-Jeonnam, Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Established as 4 Major Megacities
Gyeonggi Bukdo, Gangwon Peace Special Province, Jeonbuk Saemangeum, Jeju Special Province Developed as 4 Major Special Metropolitan Areas

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Former Democratic Party leader and presidential candidate Lee Nak-yeon announced on the 5th a balanced development strategy called the '4+4 Metropolitan Economic Living Zones,' stating, "We will create four major mega cities nationwide excluding the metropolitan area and foster four special metropolitan zones."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the day, Lee held a press conference at the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Jang-seop in Cheongju, Chungbuk, saying, "Incorporating the spirit of local autonomy from President Kim Dae-jung, balanced development from President Roh Moo-hyun, and the second phase of balanced development from President Moon Jae-in, we will open a new era of national balanced development based on innovation, self-reliance, and coexistence."

Lee announced plans to establish Chungcheong, Gwangju-Jeonnam, Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam, and Daegu-Gyeongbuk as the four mega cities to build the '4+4 Metropolitan Economic Living Zones.'

First, to make the Chungcheong mega city the capital of administration and science, he plans to promptly establish the National Assembly Sejong Branch and the Presidential Office, and swiftly relocate the remaining central administrative agencies that have not yet moved. Additionally, he intends to quickly complete the International Science Business Belt connecting Daedeok-Cheonan, Asan-Osong, and Ochang, and expand the metropolitan transportation network for the Chungcheong mega city.

The Gwangju-Jeonnam mega city aims to be the capital of energy and culture and arts, actively supporting the Honam RE300 Energy Economic Community initiative and fostering new energy industries through the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and Korea Electric Power University (KEPU) co-development project. The Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam mega city, aiming to be the capital of maritime affairs and logistics, promises to build a logistics-centered trans-Pacific forward base linking aviation, ports, and railways, leveraging the construction of the new Gadeokdo Airport.

The Daegu-Gyeongbuk mega city plans to become the capital of new manufacturing by advancing core industries such as water, machinery, electronics, and steel, fostering a global hub city ushering in a new manufacturing renaissance era. It also proposes expanding the metropolitan transportation network by accelerating the construction of the Yeongilman Bridge connecting Pohang and Yeongdeok and the Dalbit Inland Railway between Gwangju and Daegu.

Alongside this, Lee announced plans to foster four special metropolitan zones.

He plans to establish Gyeonggi Buk-do to independently develop the northern Gyeonggi region, including a period of special national financial support, and create a knowledge property convergence content cluster based on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) and broadcasting-video infrastructure, as well as build a smart logistics belt based on AI and big data.

He also plans to establish the Gangwon Peace Special Self-Governing Province, further developing Gangwon's strengths in digital healthcare, antibodies, and precision medical industries, and build an economic development support center in the underdeveloped abandoned mining areas to support sustainable growth. He explained that the connection of the Donghae Northern Line (Gangneung to Jejin) will be promptly pursued based on local residents' opinions.

In particular, to create a peace economic cooperation belt in the border areas of northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon, he pledged to establish a Peace Economy Special Zone Planning Group under the Ministry of Unification, create peace economic special zones in the Paju-Yeoncheon area of northern Gyeonggi and the Cheorwon-Goseong area of Gangwon, and set up a support office. He also announced plans to build the East-West Peace Expressway and establish a metropolitan transportation network within the peace economic cooperation belt.

Jeonbuk and Saemangeum will be developed as carbon-zero new industry hubs realizing green growth by fostering the Jeonju National Industrial Complex into a global carbon industry cluster. Saemangeum will be developed as a green hydrogen production cluster, RE100 industrial complex, international startup special zone, and international medical complex, designated as an investment promotion district.

Finally, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province will complete a special self-governing province leading autonomous decentralization, foster a renewable energy convergence industry, and pledge to strengthen practical autonomous legislative power and promote fiscal special cases for independent revenue expansion.

To support the '4+4 Metropolitan Economic Living Zones,' Lee proposed four concrete measures: ▲establishing a 'Metropolitan Economic Living Zone Promotion Support Group' under the Prime Minister's Office and creating a support account within the Special Account for National Balanced Development ▲strengthening the authority of the Balanced Development Committee by upgrading it to a ministerial-level administrative committee under the President's direct advisory body ▲preparing special support for regions at risk of extinction ▲expanding local finances by restructuring the national and local tax ratio to 6:4 by 2030.

Additionally, to achieve regional self-reliance and industrial development through region-led innovative growth, Lee presented three strategies: ▲nurturing local talent (increasing per-student education expenses at regional flagship national universities to the level of Yonsei University and achieving tuition-free education by 2025) ▲establishing a region-led innovative growth ecosystem (fostering regional strategic industries through the creation of K-Technopolis and mandating all relocated public institutions in innovation cities to participate in public institution-led regional balanced New Deal projects) ▲supporting growth of local companies and relocated enterprises (creating a tentative 'Innovation Growth Promotion Subsidy' within the Special Account for National Balanced Development and providing a 100% corporate or income tax exemption for 10 years to companies relocating to local areas).

Lee emphasized, "The concentration in the metropolitan area and the problem of population decline in regions are serious. With the goal of national balanced development based on innovation, coexistence, and self-reliance, we will successfully implement the three major strategies of 'building the 4+4 Metropolitan Economic Living Zones, strengthening the foundation for national balanced development, and region-led innovative growth' to open a new era of national balanced development."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.