Super Metropolitan Cooperation Projects in Bu·U·Gyeong Reflected in the 5-Year National Balanced Development Plan

Government Announces 'Super Metropolitan Cooperation Support Strategy'

Region-Led 'Mega City' Projects
Central Government to Actively Support

New Legal Provisions Define 'Super Metropolitan Area'

SOC Preliminary Feasibility Study Threshold Raised from 50 Billion to 100 Billion KRW
National Subsidy Rate for High-Synergy Projects Increased from 50% to 60%

The water source in Yokjido District, Tongyeong City, Gyeongsangnam-do, which was finally selected as an excellent case in the '2021 Balanced Development Project Evaluation' hosted by the Presidential Committee on Balanced National Development on August 23. (Photo by Asia Economy DB)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government has decided to incorporate nationwide 'super-regional cooperation projects' such as those in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam into the five-year national balanced development plan to accelerate the pace of balanced development between the metropolitan area and other regions. While maintaining the inherent autonomy of local governments, the central government plans to implement these projects alongside its basic plans and provide support where necessary.

Specifically, for nationwide super-regional cooperation projects under 50 billion KRW, local fiscal investment reviews will be exempted or expedited. The preliminary feasibility study threshold for social overhead capital (SOC) projects in these regions will be raised from 50 billion KRW to 100 billion KRW to ease constraints, and the national subsidy rate for projects judged to have high synergy effects during budget allocation will be increased from 50% to 60%.

On the 14th, the government held a 'Balanced Development Performance and Super-Regional Cooperation Support Strategy Report' event chaired by the President and attended by heads of 17 metropolitan and provincial local governments, announcing a joint inter-ministerial 'Super-Regional Cooperation Support Strategy' with these details. Super-regional cooperation is a region-led cooperative system actively discussed nationwide, including in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) area, the Chungcheong region, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, and Gwangju-Jeonnam. It is a project that the government is enthusiastically supporting to alleviate the concentration in the metropolitan area by creating de facto integrated administrative districts beyond the existing city and county units. This measure reflects the results of discussions by the 'Mega City Support Pan-Government Task Force (TF)' operating since April 27 and sets three detailed directions on this day.

First, to establish a support foundation for the continuous promotion of super-regional cooperation projects, definitions of super-regions under the 'Special Act on National Balanced Development' and the 'Framework Act on National Land' were newly established. Provisions for development plans, plan formulation, and project implementation grounds were also codified. Notably, super-regional development plans created by regions will be incorporated into the 'Five-Year National Balanced Development Plan.' Not only local governments but also central government ministries will participate in projects, linking the regionally established 'super-regional plans' with the 20-year 'Comprehensive National Land Plan' for coordinated implementation.

Budget-related regulations will also be relaxed. First, the preliminary feasibility study criteria for SOC projects will be eased from a total project cost of 50 billion KRW to 100 billion KRW and from 30 billion KRW to 50 billion KRW in national funding. Projects under 50 billion KRW that are urgently needed for development or judged to have significant investment effects will be exempted from or expedited in local fiscal investment reviews. Additionally, projects deemed highly effective during budget allocation will be selected as part of the 'super-regional cooperation project group' within the regional support account of the balanced development special account for separate management, and the national subsidy rate will be raised from 50% to 60%. Furthermore, a super-regional cooperation index will be developed to link evaluation results with budgets. A 'Pan-Government Super-Regional Support Council' (tentative name) will be established to strengthen coordination functions among government ministries.

Moreover, differential support will be provided according to cooperation stages such as special local governments and administrative integration to induce the rapid creation and spread of successful models. The government will support regions to autonomously form special local governments to strengthen cooperative systems. Special local governments are entities established jointly by two or more local governments to achieve specific objectives. Additionally, a TF composed of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Autonomy and Decentralization Committee, and related experts will be formed to actively discuss amendments to the 'Local Autonomy Act' to accelerate autonomous administrative integration among metropolitan local governments.

Sector-specific super-regional cooperation promotion policies will also be introduced in areas such as land, transportation, industry, and talent development. This aims to quickly enhance residents' perception of policy effects and establish projects. To this end, ▲ activation of metropolitan railroads to create a single economic and living zone (space), ▲ promotion of region-specific super-regional strategic industries (industry), and ▲ focused promotion of regional university innovation (talent development) will be implemented.

A government official said, "The government plans to establish the legal basis for super-regional cooperation by the end of the year and swiftly and strongly support it by setting detailed plans by sector. We will do our best to actively support region-led super-regional cooperation to enhance regional competitiveness and realize national balanced development."

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