Hwaseong City Sees "Special Law on the Support of Special Cities" Pass National Assembly, Fulfilling the Long-Awaited Wish of 5.53 Million Residents

Hwaseong City, Final Approval at National Assembly Plenary Session

Secures 19 New Special Provisions Including Metropolitan Transportation and Industrial Complex Development

A Long-Awaited Goal for 10% of the Korean Population Achieved

Major Administrative Authority Transferred—Large Cities Gain Momentum

Hwaseong City: "As a Core City, We Will Lead Balanced National Development with Surrounding Areas"

The long-awaited "Special Law on the Support of Special Cities," a key issue for the five special cities across the country, including Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province, has finally passed the National Assembly. This marks an institutional achievement that comes approximately four years after the launch of the special city system in 2022.

Major Changes in Hwaseong Special City Following the Enactment of the Special Act. Provided by Hwaseong City

Hwaseong Special City announced on May 7 that the "Special Law on the Support of Special Cities," which defines the legal status and administrative and financial powers of special cities, has passed the final plenary session of the National Assembly. As a result, administrative services for the 5.53 million residents of special cities—about 10% of the total population of South Korea, which stands at approximately 51.6 million—are expected to be significantly enhanced.

Despite being large cities with populations exceeding one million, special cities have been criticized for lacking practical authority, often having to wait for approvals from metropolitan governments, which has limited their ability to respond to administrative demand.

In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety submitted a total of nine legislative bills, including a government-proposed bill, to the National Assembly in December 2024. After about one year and four months of deliberation, the bill passed the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee on April 6, and, following review by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, was finalized on this day.

Academia and civil society have consistently argued that powers in various areas—including citizen welfare, business support, urban development, and permits and licensing—should be transferred from metropolitan governments to special cities so that they can implement policies tailored to local characteristics. To this end, Hwaseong Special City, which serves as the representative city of the Council of Mayors of Special Cities in Korea, along with Suwon, Yongin, Goyang, and Changwon, has continuously requested the enactment of a special law from the government and the National Assembly.

As a result of these efforts, about four years after the launch of the special city system in January 2022, institutional progress has been achieved. In particular, by systematizing the special regulations that had previously been scattered across individual laws into a single special law, the procedure for granting special status can now be carried out more reliably in the future.

This bill includes: the establishment of a legal basis for special administrative and financial support for special cities; the formulation of a basic support plan and annual implementation plans for special cities; and special provisions for the work carried out by special cities.

In addition, 19 new special work areas have been incorporated to meet the administrative needs of large cities, such as metropolitan transportation policies and industrial complex development. This is expected to enable the provision of faster and more efficient administrative services to citizens.

Hwaseong Special City, as the representative city of the Council of Mayors of Special Cities in Korea, has been at the forefront of persuading the government and the National Assembly for the passage of this bill. In preparation for the passage of the special law, Hwaseong Special City has already shown quick action, including proactive training for public officials last month.

An official from Hwaseong Special City stated, "Securing the legal status and administrative and financial authority of special cities is not a privilege for certain cities, but an essential foundation for enabling core cities to grow together with surrounding areas and lead balanced national development. With the enactment of this special law, we will continue to pursue the strengthening of institutional foundations and the acquisition of administrative and financial authority appropriate for the status of special cities."

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