4 Cities and Provinces in Chungcheong Region Urge Government Support for Chungcheong Mega City First...

The four cities and provinces in the Chungcheong region reaffirmed their mutual cooperation on the 'Chungcheong Mega City' initiative and collectively called for government support.

Daejeon City, Sejong City, Chungnam Province, and Chungbuk Province held the 'Prepared Mega City, Chungcheong Era Proclamation Ceremony' on the 13th at the Sejong City Local Autonomy Hall.

The proclamation ceremony was organized as an occasion for the four cities and provinces to agree on mutual cooperation to complete the Chungcheong Mega City and to urge national-level support.

(From right) Lee Jang-woo, Mayor of Daejeon; Choi Min-ho, Mayor of Sejong; Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk; and Kim Tae-heum, Governor of Chungnam, are taking a commemorative photo after holding the "Prepared Megacity, Chungcheong Era Proclamation Ceremony" on the 13th at the Sejong City Local Autonomy Hall. Provided by Daejeon City

The Chungcheong Mega City initiative has taken a step ahead of the recently emerging political proposal of incorporating Gimpo City into Seoul to create a 'Mega City Seoul.'

In fact, in 2015, the Chungcheong region launched and operated the Chungcheong Region Win-Win Cooperation Planning Group to facilitate broad administrative cooperation and discuss mutual development among the four cities and provinces.

Following discussions on forming a broad living economic zone in the Chungcheong region in 2020, a research project was conducted last year for establishing a special local government for the Chungcheong region. In January this year, a temporary organization called the 'Chungcheong Region Special Local Government Joint Promotion Team' (hereafter Joint Promotion Team) was launched to lead the establishment of the special local government.

The Joint Promotion Team plays a role in driving ultra-wide cooperation among the four cities and provinces to establish the Chungcheong Region Special Local Government.

Recently, with the political discourse focusing on 'Mega City Seoul,' the movements of the four cities and provinces in the Chungcheong region have also become more active. Voices are growing stronger that the realization of a mega city in the non-capital area (Chungcheong region), rather than the metropolitan area, should take priority.

In this context, the four cities and provinces argue that as a prepared mega city, the Chungcheong region should be granted groundbreaking administrative, educational, and financial authority by the government to ensure its successful launch and activation. They also call for support for the preferential relocation of metropolitan public institutions, large corporations, and universities to the Chungcheong Mega City.

They further urge bold government support, including the establishment of national local medical schools and the expansion of medical school quotas with priority allocation to the Chungcheong region for the reconstruction of local healthcare, as well as the inclusion of roads and railways for the Chungcheong Mega City in national plans and full-scale support.

At the proclamation ceremony, Lee Jang-woo, Mayor of Daejeon City, emphasized, "South Korea is already a city-state with everything concentrated in the metropolitan area, and 'Mega Chungcheong,' which embraces the Science Capital and Administrative Capital, is a rational alternative to solve this metropolitan concentration." He added, "We urge the central government to provide full support so that the Chungcheong Mega City can lead the local era."

Kim Tae-heum, Governor of Chungnam Province, expressed, "If the Chungcheong region unites, self-sustaining economic development will be possible," and stated, "The four cities and provinces will make joint efforts to speedily promote the establishment of the Chungcheong Mega City," demonstrating their determination to realize the Chungcheong Mega City.

Choi Min-ho, Mayor of Sejong City, argued, "With the construction of the National Assembly Sejong Office Building and the installation of the President's second office, we should amend the constitution to clearly establish Sejong City's status as the administrative capital and develop the Chungcheong Mega City into a practical 'second metropolitan area.'"

Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk Province, said, "To overcome the crisis of regional extinction and the extinction of South Korea, excessive regulations must be reformed to expand regional infrastructure and create jobs," and added, "Chungbuk Province strongly urges the enactment within this year of the Central Inland Special Act, which is pending review by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's first subcommittee."

There are also expectations that the proclamation ceremony will serve as new momentum for promoting the Chungcheong Region Special Autonomous Body.

An official from the Joint Promotion Team said, "We expect that the proclamation ceremony will further solidify the cooperative will of the four cities and provinces to promote the Chungcheong Region Special Local Government," and added, "The Joint Promotion Team will actively consult with relevant ministries to ensure the successful launch of the Chungcheong Region Special Local Government."

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