Government to Integrate Balanced Development Act and Local Autonomy Act... Establishment of Local Era Committee

Government Announces Legislation for the 'Special Act on Local Autonomy Decentralization and Balanced Development'

President Yoon Seok-yeol answering questions from reporters
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Ahn Jung-won = President Yoon Seok-yeol is seen arriving at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the morning of the 8th and answering questions from reporters. 2022.9.8
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[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] The government will integrate two related laws to enhance the efficiency of regional balanced development policies. The government also decided to unify the National Balanced Development Committee and the Local Autonomy and Decentralization Committee into the Local Era Committee.

On the 13th, the government announced that it will prepare the "Special Act on Local Autonomy, Decentralization, and Regional Balanced Development" and open it for legislative notice for 40 days from the 14th to the 24th of next month. This special act was prepared to integrate the "Special Act on National Balanced Development" and the "Special Act on Local Autonomy, Decentralization, and Local Administrative System Reform." The government plans to submit the special act to the National Assembly within the year after collecting opinions from local governments. A government official said, "Balanced development and decentralization policies were promoted individually, making it difficult for local governments to feel the policy effects," adding, "We decided to integrate the two laws to link related policies and create an integrated promotion system."

Establishment of the 'Comprehensive Plan for the Local Era'

The core of the integrated law is the unification of national plans related to balanced development. The government decided to integrate the National Balanced Development Plan and the Comprehensive Decentralization Plan, which were individually established under the National Balanced Development Act and the Local Decentralization Act, into the "Comprehensive Plan for the Local Era." Accordingly, central ministries will establish and implement a five-year Comprehensive Plan for the Local Era based on the comprehensive plans prepared by cities and provinces. To efficiently promote the comprehensive plan, the government plans to establish and evaluate annual implementation plans by city/province and sector.

The content regarding the designation of special zones, a key task of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, is also included. The special act stipulates the establishment and operation of Opportunity Development Zones and Education Freedom Zones, which are government tasks, as national responsibilities. A Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy official explained at a back briefing, "Opportunity Development Zones will receive special benefits such as tax and financial incentives," and "Education Freedom Zones grant autonomy to university education and can be seen as a kind of 'educational sandbox.'"

Yoon Suk-yeol Administration's Comprehensive Plan for the 'Local Era'.
[Photo by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy]

Unification of Committees

Additionally, the government will unify related committees into the Local Era Committee through the integrated law. This organization combines the National Balanced Development Committee and the Local Autonomy and Decentralization Committee. The committee will coordinate decentralization and balanced development policies and oversee related government tasks. Ex officio members of the committee will include 15 ministers from relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Education. Seventeen private experts will serve as appointed members. According to the special act, government officials such as senior secretaries of the Presidential Secretariat may also attend meetings.

To support the committee's work, a Local Era Planning Group will also be established. The government plans to set up the Regional Balanced Development Support Group and the Local Autonomy and Decentralization Support Group under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, respectively. Each planning group will regularly report to President Yoon Seok-yeol on matters deliberated and resolved by the committee and the progress of policy implementation. To increase policy compliance, the results of progress checks will be reported to the Cabinet meeting and the Central-Local Cooperation Meeting.

Establishment of a Special Account

A special account for regional balanced development will also be established. This is to promote projects supporting the "Local Era" comprehensive plan and regional balanced development policies set forth by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. The deadline for the committee to notify opinions on investment directions for regional balanced development policies and the special account budget formulation has been extended from May 31 to June 15.

During the legislative notice period, the government plans to collect diverse opinions from local governments, residents, and experts. Another government official stated, "We plan to proceed so that the integrated law can be discussed at the regular National Assembly session within the year after the opinion collection process," adding, "We will do our best to realize the Local Era through region-led balanced development."

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