Democratic Party Honam Development Special Committee Holds Regional Development Strategy Briefing

Honam Development Strategy and National Balanced Growth Agenda Delivered to Party Leadership

The Honam Development Special Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) held the "Honam Development Strategy Briefing" at the party leader’s conference room in the National Assembly on the 20th, reporting on strategies to address key issues in the Honam region and future growth strategies to the party leadership.

Led by Chairman Seo Samsuk, the Honam Development Special Committee formulated regional development strategies and delivered them to the party leadership. Photo by the office of Congressman Seo Samsuk

The Honam Development Special Committee was launched last August as a standing committee of the Democratic Party, based on President Lee Jaemyung’s state philosophy of “special compensation for special sacrifice” and Representative Jeong Cheongrae’s commitment to “practically repaying Honam’s dedication.” The committee has gathered diverse opinions from the regional political community, academia, and civil society to develop long-standing projects and future agendas for Honam.

The briefing was attended by Representative Jeong Cheongrae, Supreme Council members, Policy Committee Chair Han Jeongae, Chief of Staff Han Minsu, and other party leaders. In his opening remarks, Representative Jeong stated, “We hope that the Honam Development Strategy will not only repay Honam’s dedication to protecting democracy in Korea but also serve as the foundation for balanced national development and future growth.”

Seo Samsuk, Chairman of the Honam Development Special Committee, emphasized, “We have thoroughly prepared so that the attention from President Lee Jaemyung and the party leadership will translate into real opportunities for Honam’s development,” adding, “I hope today’s briefing marks the first step toward balanced national growth.”

During the briefing, Senior Vice Chairmen Lee Byunghoon (Gwangju), Lee Wontak (Jeonbuk), and Kim Sung (Jeonnam) reported on activities by region, after which the committee delivered the compiled Honam Development Strategy and national balanced development tasks to Representative Jeong Cheongrae.

According to the committee, the Honam Development Strategy was formulated based on 110 key issues and future growth projects proposed by the three metropolitan governments of Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk, and 41 cities, counties, and districts, as well as policy proposals identified by committee members. The strategy is divided into three stages: immediate projects, mid-to-long-term projects, and Honam-wide projects, with detailed implementation plans for each.

The immediate projects prioritize securing allocations in next year’s national budget, while mid-to-long-term and large-scale projects-such as the creation of RE100 advanced industrial complexes, the construction of the Yeong-Honam Dalbit Railway, and the establishment of a national medical school-require additional support from the party to secure momentum for implementation.

The policy agenda includes the enactment of the “Local Government Fiscal Strengthening Act” to expand local financial resources. This bill aims to raise the local allocation tax rate from 19% to 27% and adjust the central-local consumption tax ratio from 7.5:2.5 to 5.5:4.5.

Other proposals include raising the preliminary feasibility study threshold from 50 billion won to 150 billion won, establishing grounds for exempting non-capital and depopulation areas from feasibility studies, and increasing national funding for local firefighting personnel salaries.

Chairman Seo stated, “The Honam Development Strategy will serve as a blueprint to fulfill the long-standing aspirations of five million Honam residents,” adding, “The committee and the party will work together to ensure that regional issues and future agendas are pursued under the Lee Jaemyung administration.”

Meanwhile, the Honam Development Special Committee plans to hold regional briefings across the Honam area in succession, based on the agenda reported on this day.

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