Kim Dong-yeon's 'Gyeonggi Bukdo Establishment' Roadmap Takes First Step... Is Division Becoming a Reality?

Kim Dong-yeon "Establishing Special Committee on Northern Installation, Promoting Resident Vote Within the Year"
Discussion on Gyeonggi-do Division Stalled for 35 Years Expected to Gain Momentum
Still a Long Way to Go Until National Assembly Review and Bill Passage

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] With Kim Dong-yeon, the governor-elect of Gyeonggi Province, expressing his intention to promote the establishment of a 'Special Autonomous Province in Northern Gyeonggi,' the 'Gyeonggi Province division theory' is resurfacing. Although discussions about dividing Gyeonggi Province have been consistently raised in political circles, they have not been implemented in practice. Attention is focused on whether the discussion will gain momentum with Kim's inauguration.

In an interview with Yonhap News on the 7th, Governor-elect Kim announced plans to "form a special committee within the governor's transition team to establish a Special Autonomous Province in Northern Gyeonggi." During the June 1 local election campaign, he also promised the establishment of a special autonomous province, stating, "Northern Gyeonggi's sacrifices for South Korea must now be recognized."

Kim's pledge to establish a 'Special Autonomous Province in Northern Gyeonggi' is an extension of the 'Gyeonggi Province division theory' that has been discussed for over 30 years. The core idea is to separate 10 cities and counties north of the Han River, or 11 including Gimpo, from Gyeonggi Province to create a new metropolitan local government. This long-standing issue has appeared in every election since the Democratic Justice Party proposed it as a presidential campaign pledge in the 13th presidential election in 1987. Kim's pledge is notable for specifically proposing the creation of a special autonomous province with a higher degree of autonomy than a province (do), concretely outlining the goal of dividing Gyeonggi Province.

The division theory has been raised due to regional disparities between southern and northern Gyeonggi. Supporters argue that division is necessary to pursue independent development tailored to the characteristics of the northern region. Northern Gyeonggi has lagged economically compared to the south due to restrictions such as military facility protection zones, greenbelt areas, and regulations under the Capital Region Readjustment Planning Act. As of 2019, the gross regional domestic product of Northern Gyeonggi was about 83 trillion won, approximately one-fifth of Southern Gyeonggi's 393 trillion won. Additionally, Northern Gyeonggi already has independent provincial offices, education offices, courts, and prosecutors' offices, indicating that the foundation for a metropolitan government is in place.

However, there are also many opposing views. Critics argue that after division, the north may no longer receive support from the south, potentially widening regional disparities. As of 2020, Southern Gyeonggi's fiscal independence rate was 42.9%, while the north's was 28.2%, showing the northern region's dependence on southern resources. Former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung stated during the provincial audit in October last year that "without support from Southern Gyeonggi, the lives of Northern Gyeonggi residents will inevitably become difficult," adding, "Except for officials with promotion or political opportunities, there are no benefits to division in the current state."

Amid divided opinions, Governor-elect Kim has strongly expressed his intention to push for the division. Following the formation of a special committee within the transition team for the establishment of the division, he plans to complete a resident referendum within the year. On the 8th, appearing on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs,' he said, "I believe the process of presenting a vision for Northern Gyeonggi and gathering opinions is important. The transition team plans to create a timetable for that."

Public opinion within Gyeonggi Province regarding the division is generally positive. According to a survey conducted by Realmeter commissioned by Democratic Party lawmaker Min-cheol Kim in December last year, 44.6% supported the establishment of Northern Gyeonggi Province, 7.3 percentage points higher than the 37.3% who opposed it.

However, despite Kim's determination, there are many hurdles before the division of Gyeonggi Province can be realized. First, opinions within Gyeonggi Province must be consolidated. In the recent Gyeonggi local government elections, the People Power Party won a landslide victory over the Democratic Party with 22 to 9 seats, and the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly saw an unprecedented tie between the two parties. Analysts emphasize the importance of reaching bipartisan agreement and securing the participation of local governments to advance the pledge.

Obtaining the National Assembly's consent for the passage of related legislation is also crucial. Establishing a special autonomous province requires the National Assembly's review and approval of related bills. The 'Act on the Establishment of Northern Gyeonggi Province,' proposed two years ago, has been pending in the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee for nine months. However, opposition from lawmakers such as Ahn Cheol-soo (Seongnam Bundang-gap) and Lee Jae-myung (Incheon Gyeyang-eul), who have expressed opposition to the division, is expected to cause difficulties.

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