[Full Text] Kim Du-gwan Announces 10 Major Pledges for a Balanced Decentralized State "Establishment of a Balanced Decentralization Cabinet Meeting"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 11th, Democratic Party presidential candidate Assemblyman Kim Du-gwan held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office and announced 'Kim Du-gwan's 10 Major Pledges for Dismantling the Seoul Republic and Establishing a Balanced Decentralization Nation.'

Below is the full text of the press conference statement.

원본보기 아이콘

Hello, I am Kim Du-gwan, candidate number 2 in the Democratic Party presidential primary.

Today, I would like to speak to the people about the new vision of national balanced development under the Kim Du-gwan administration, which is the 'Balanced Decentralization Nation.'

Kim Du-gwan's Balanced Decentralization Nation is a country where balanced development and local autonomy are integrated, and the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas develop together in mutual prosperity.

Today, I will present the 10 major pledges for dismantling the Seoul Republic and establishing a Balanced Decentralization Nation. This is the vision and policy that I, Kim Du-gwan, am placing the greatest emphasis on in this presidential election.

The population of the metropolitan area has exceeded half of South Korea's total population.

If the concentration in the metropolitan area continues as it is, both the metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas will sink together.

In 2021, South Korea must make an extraordinary decision toward becoming a Balanced Decentralization Nation.

Since 2017, along with the increase in the metropolitan population, real estate prices in the metropolitan area have surged. From the end of 2017 to April this year, metropolitan housing prices rose by 15%. This explosive rise in housing prices is destroying the lives of the working class and middle class.

1. The concentration of young population in the metropolitan area and the polarization of education and talent are serious.

The increase in metropolitan population is mainly due to young people flocking to metropolitan universities. In terms of population movement by age, there was a net inflow of 103,000 people under 30 to the metropolitan area. Conversely, 14,000 people aged 40 and above moved out of the metropolitan area.

Youth flock to the metropolitan area for university and jobs, then move back to non-metropolitan areas after their 40s.

2. The drawbacks of metropolitan overpopulation lead to lower life satisfaction.

Life satisfaction in the metropolitan area is lower than in non-metropolitan areas. The dense metropolitan road network increases traffic congestion costs. The metropolitan area faces a more severe low birthrate problem than the national average. Seoul's total fertility rate is 0.64, much lower than the national average.

3. Polarization in capital and income, new opportunities for economic activity, is expanding day by day.

The metropolitan area accounts for only 11.8% of the national land area.

However, metropolitan income accounts for 55.6% of the national total, exceeding half. More than half of venture capital firms, startups with sales over 100 billion won, and startups receiving investments over 10 billion won are concentrated in the metropolitan area.

4. The crisis of local universities causes polarization in education and talent.

Among 339 universities nationwide, 116 (34.2%) are concentrated in the metropolitan area. Despite the ongoing decline in the school-age population and the university crisis, the concentration in the metropolitan area exacerbates difficulties for local universities.

If this continues, not only will local areas disappear, but the metropolitan area will also perish.

The Seoul Republic must be dismantled.

I, Kim Du-gwan, propose 10 major pledges for a Balanced Decentralization Nation.

1. Establish a ‘Balanced Decentralization Cabinet Meeting’ equivalent to the Cabinet, where ministers and provincial governors cooperate jointly, to realize a truly balanced decentralization nation. This will be the first national agenda of the Kim Du-gwan administration.

The core of President Moon Jae-in’s 2018 constitutional amendment proposal was ‘local autonomy-type constitutional amendment.’ It also proposed a ‘National Local Autonomy Council’ equivalent to the Cabinet. Even if the amendment is made, I will make this system practical.

To reflect local opinions in the legislative process, the Speaker of the National Assembly will notify local governments of bills related to local autonomy, and local governments will be able to present their opinions.

To establish communication and cooperation between central and local governments and expand local participation in national affairs, a ‘Balanced Decentralization Cabinet Meeting’ composed of the President, Prime Minister, ministers designated by law, and heads of local administrations will be newly established as a presidential deliberative body, similar to the current Cabinet Meeting.

The ‘Balanced Decentralization Cabinet Meeting’ will promote cooperation between central and local administrations and deliberate on important policies related to local autonomy and regional balanced development.

2. Change the name of ‘local government bodies’ to ‘local governments’ and grant local governments autonomous organizational rights.

To clearly show that the relationship between central and local governments is not subordinate or vertical but independent and horizontal, ‘local government bodies’ will be renamed ‘local governments,’ and the executive bodies of local governments will be renamed ‘local administrations.’

Basic matters concerning the organization and operation of local administrations are major matters concerning local governments. These will be stipulated by law, but local governments will be allowed to establish specific details through ordinances to form appropriate organizations themselves.

3. Strengthen the legislative autonomy of local governments.

To provide a foundation for implementing policies tailored to regional characteristics, the scope of local governments’ legislative autonomy will be expanded through constitutional amendment, changing from the current ‘within the scope of laws’ to ‘not violating laws’ for enacting ordinances.

Ordinances will only be allowed to restrict rights or impose obligations when there is legal delegation, ensuring residents’ fundamental rights are not infringed.

Heads of local administrations will also be able to establish autonomous rules for matters necessary to enforce laws or ordinances and matters specifically delegated within the scope of laws or ordinances.

4. Guarantee autonomous financial rights and establish a fiscal adjustment system.

To resolve the problem of central and local governments shifting financial burdens to each other due to mismatches between policy implementation and funding, local governments will bear expenses necessary for autonomous tasks themselves, and costs for delegated tasks from the state or other local governments will be borne by the delegating state or local governments.

To secure finances essential for practical local autonomy, local governments will be allowed to enact ordinances on types, rates, and collection methods of autonomous taxes within the scope not violating laws.

Autonomous financial rights of local governments will be guaranteed, and tax-generated resources will be distributed in accordance with the scope of responsibilities between the state and local governments.

To prevent deterioration of local government finances or widening fiscal disparities between regions, legal grounds for fiscal adjustments between the state and local governments and among local governments will be established.

5. Reorganize the country into five mega-cities and two special autonomous provinces to form regional economic communities and improve quality of life. Develop them into global super-regions with international competitiveness.

Create a super-regional network centered on mega-cities as hubs. Connect hub cities, small and medium cities, and rural fishing villages through networks.

Build a metropolitan public transportation network for a one-hour living zone centered on hub cities. Continuously expand metropolitan railway networks so mega-cities become genuine living zones.

In line with South Korea’s growth as a global economic power, the five mega-cities must become global innovation hubs with strong regional competitiveness, strengthen connections with global networks, and transform into world centers.

6. Expedite the second phase of public institution relocation along with the formation of mega-cities.

The second phase of public institution relocation should be promoted to strengthen the competitiveness of the five mega-cities. Support the relocated public institutions to connect their capabilities and contribute to the autonomous development of the regions so mega-cities can form global metropolitan areas.

Among the institutions to be relocated, 365 public institutions still remain in the metropolitan area, and 124 of these can be relocated immediately. These institutions will be relocated to 10 innovation cities in local areas.

Public institution relocation will be linked with regional mega-city balanced development strategies and specialized relocation methods in multiple hub cities to maximize the effects of relocation.

7. Restore small and medium-sized cities facing regional decline as traditional strong small cities and attract innovative companies from the metropolitan area to local areas.

Local small and medium-sized cities should serve as centers of daily life and economy. We will protect declining small and medium cities as centers of residents’ lives and foster them into strong small cities with distinctive and vibrant jobs.

In response to the post-COVID era and the 4th Industrial Revolution, support the dispersion of private economic actors from the metropolitan area. Improve residential, educational, cultural, and leisure environments comprehensively to attract competitive mid-sized and innovative companies to local areas.

Enhance local autonomous innovation capabilities. Deepen grassroots direct democracy through village autonomy and apartment autonomy.

8. Strengthen collaboration systems among companies, universities, and research institutes centered on innovation cities to build a foundation for autonomous regional development.

Innovation cities created for regional balanced development will be continuously supported to serve as new growth hubs. Establish new cooperation systems among public institutions, universities, and companies to build a virtuous cycle system where locally nurtured talent becomes the core of regional innovation and industrial development.

Promote innovation cities as bases for regional growth and industrial development. Establish survival strategies for local universities. Expand lifelong education and vocational training to realize a lifelong learning society for all citizens.

Make it mandatory for public institutions relocated to innovation cities to hire 30% local talent. Currently, local talent hiring rates in public institutions are at 10-20%. This will be greatly expanded to encourage students to enter local universities rather than metropolitan universities.

Focus support on departments of local universities linked to specialized industries in innovation cities to cultivate excellent local talent intensively. For example, in Gyeongnam, strong in shipbuilding, support specialized departments such as ship design at Changwon National University to actively foster high value-added specialized fields like ship design, not just ship manufacturing.

9. Revitalize rural and fishing communities and lay the foundation for a future ecological civilization.

Integrate and expand seven essential services for citizens’ lives?housing, jobs, medical care, education, welfare, culture, and transportation/communication?to regenerate rural and fishing villages into livable communities. Cultivate rural and fishing villages as beautiful and pleasant living spaces.

Create a foundation where young people and baby boomers can move to farming and fishing villages without worry, and promote mutual exchange between urban and rural residents. Activate communities of mutual prosperity throughout the country.

Lay the foundation for a sustainable future ecological civilization society through balance in economic and social development, work and life, and urban and rural areas.

Promote green transitions in all sectors including energy, food, agriculture and forestry, industry, construction, transportation, and tourism to proactively respond to climate change and promote a new economy centered on life, making South Korea a healthy and sustainable society in the future.

Transform rural and fishing communities into smart green villages. Align with the national goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 to build future-oriented ecological civilization communities.

10. Complete the foundation of a Balanced Decentralization Nation through the completion of the administrative capital and relocation of judicial institutions. Propose a global development strategy for the metropolitan area.

Even if it requires constitutional amendment, complete the relocation of the administrative capital to Sejong Administrative Complex City. Relocate judicial and prosecution institutions such as the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to regional hub cities outside innovation cities.

Through administrative capital relocation, regional dispersion of judicial institutions, and public institution relocation, fill the functional void in the metropolitan area with a global development strategy that transcends domestic boundaries, transforming Seoul from a Korean city into a city contributing to the global economy and peace.

Create a UN City for Asia and world peace at the Gwanghwamun government complex. Develop a World Peace Park at the Yongsan US military base and promote a development strategy linked to Seoul’s global tourism and cultural industries.

Develop the National Assembly site as a global data capital and a world hub for future data industries.

Dear citizens,

The Seoul Republic must be dismantled. If this continues, local areas will disappear and the metropolitan area will perish.

We must make a great transformation for the future of South Korea. We must take a new path where local areas live and Seoul lives through the 10 major pledges for a Balanced Decentralization Nation that I present today.

I, Kim Du-gwan, will undertake this great task for South Korea together with the people.

Thank you.

August 11, 2021

Democratic Party Presidential Primary Candidate Number 2

Assemblyman Kim Du-gwan

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