Special Act on Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City Passes Cabinet... Launch Procedures Begin in July

Amendments to the Local Autonomy Act Approved Together
Legal Basis Established for the Integrated Metropolitan City
Status and Administrative/Fiscal Privileges Equivalent to Seoul Special City Granted
Inaugural Head of the Integrated Organization to Be Elected in June 3 Local Election

The special act and related legislative amendments for the administrative integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju passed the Cabinet meeting on March 5. The government approved the Special Act on Establishing the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City and amendments to the Local Autonomy Act at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting held that day. After the election of the head of the integrated organization in the June local election, the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City will be launched in July.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on the 5th to discuss countermeasures for the situation in the Middle East. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

At the extraordinary Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House and presided over by President Lee Jaemyung, the government reviewed and approved seven promulgation bills, including the Special Act on Establishing the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, amendments to the Local Autonomy Act, and the National Referendum Act.

Revisions to the Criminal Act, the Court Organization Act, and the Constitutional Court Act—collectively referred to as the “three judicial acts” (Criminal Distortion Act, Judicial Petition System, and Supreme Court Justice Expansion Act)—were also handled together.

The Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Act stipulates the integration of Jeollanam-do and Gwangju Metropolitan City to establish the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, granting it a status and administrative and fiscal privileges equivalent to those of Seoul Special City.

The amendments to the Local Autonomy Act include a legal basis for establishing the integrated metropolitan city and a provision setting the number of vice mayors at four. The government also decided to set up a support committee under the Prime Minister to review administrative and fiscal support for the integrated metropolitan city.

The government is also planning large-scale fiscal support to coincide with the launch of the integrated metropolitan city. Up to 5 trillion won per year, totaling 20 trillion won over the next four years, will be provided. The inaugural mayor of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City will be elected through the June 3 local elections.

At the Cabinet meeting, an amendment to the National Referendum Act guaranteeing the referendum rights of overseas Koreans was also approved. The amendment includes provisions for registering overseas voters in the voters’ list and lowering the voting age from 19 to 18. It also introduces early voting, absentee voting, and shipboard voting for referendums, and provides special provisions for holding national referendums and public office elections simultaneously.

An amendment to the Commercial Act that mandates, in principle, the retirement of treasury shares held by companies was also approved. Newly acquired treasury shares must be retired within one year, and existing treasury shares must be retired within one year and six months after a grace period. Exceptions are allowed for the public, broadcasting, and telecommunications sectors, which are subject to foreign ownership restrictions, allowing for retirement within three years after the law takes effect.

In addition, the Cabinet passed amendments to the Court Organization Act to increase the number of Supreme Court justices, to the Criminal Act to stipulate penalties for judicial distortion, and to the Constitutional Court Act to introduce the judicial petition system. These bills were passed last month in the National Assembly, led by the Democratic Party of Korea.

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