"Special Act for Special Cities" Passes National Assembly Plenary ... Fulfilling the Aspirations of 1 Million Citizens

Legal and Financial Support Now Codified

Securing 19 New Administrative Authorities

Meaningful Changes for Citizens Begin in Earnest

A new turning point has finally opened for the era of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam Province.

With the "Special Act to Support Special Cities" passing the National Assembly plenary session on May 7, the aspirations of Changwon's citizens, which had continued for over four years since the launch of Special City status in 2022, have now been embodied in institutional authority. The significance lies in the fact that Special City status, which previously amounted to little more than a nominal designation, has now evolved into a local government endowed with tangible authority and fiscal independence.

The "Special Act on Special City Status," the fruit of the hopes of one million citizens, has passed the National Assembly plenary session.
[Photo by Changwon City]

The passage of this special act is a valuable achievement created collectively by citizens, the political sphere, and the local government. In particular, the strong support and participation of the citizens served as a key driving force behind the legislation, while the joint response of the five special cities, centered on the Council of Special City Mayors, and the full legislative support of the local National Assembly members enabled this historic accomplishment.

This special act will be implemented one year after its promulgation, with its main achievement being the securing of a total of 19 new administrative authorities. Previously, these authorities were transferred on an ad hoc basis through revisions to individual laws, but now, under the framework of this special act, they will be established as stable legal powers.

Notably, the city will directly exercise major authorities such as the establishment and approval of basic plans for apartment complex remodeling, the establishment of local industrial complex planning review committees, and the designation and approval of development plans for tourism complexes. As a result, it is expected that large-scale development projects will gain significant momentum.

Furthermore, by being directly delegated the authority from the Ministry of Environment to impose and collect waste disposal charges and ecosystem conservation charges, the city will be able to secure a portion of these funds as municipal revenue, thereby strengthening its fiscal foundation. These resources are expected to form a virtuous financial cycle by being reinvested into regional development and the improvement of citizens' quality of life.

The enactment of this special act goes beyond a mere institutional adjustment; it marks the starting point for Special City to establish itself as a leading model of local autonomy and decentralization.

Han Cheolsoo, Chairperson of the Changwon City Local Autonomy and Decentralization Council, stated, "Until now, it is true that changes citizens could actually feel were limited," and emphasized, "It is now time to create substantial changes step by step in daily life sectors such as transportation, environment, and housing, based on the newly secured authorities."

The city plans to focus all administrative capabilities to ensure the newly secured authorities are swiftly embedded in the administrative field as a result of this special act. Additionally, it will actively pursue further amendments to the act—such as the codification of financial and organizational special provisions—in order to accelerate the realization of substantial authority.

In the long term, the city also aims to amend Article 2 of the "Local Autonomy Act" to explicitly specify Special City as a legal type of local government, thereby firmly establishing its independent legal status and strengthening the policy rationale for securing additional authorities.

Jang Geumyong, Acting Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, "The earnest voices of 1 million citizens, who have waited for four years, have finally borne fruit in the form of secured legal rights. Building on this achievement, we will further enhance the speed and completeness of administration to elevate the pride of our citizens."

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