[Feature] When and How Will the 'Pandora's Box' of the Integrated Special City Main Office Be Opened?

"Gwangju should be at the center." "The eastern region also needs to be a core axis." "If Namak is excluded, the balance will be off."

When citizens, politicians, and experts were asked about the location of the main government office for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, their perspectives differed. Depending on whether they prioritized living areas and accessibility, administrative efficiency, or balanced regional development, their answers varied.

With three government buildings already in existence-Gwangju City Hall (total floor area: 86,526 square meters), Jeonnam Provincial Office (Muan, 79,302 square meters), and Jeonnam Eastern Regional Headquarters (Suncheon, 13,000 square meters)-the debate over where to place the administrative hub after the launch of the integrated special city is expected to become a major issue and a "hot potato."

Some citizens are voicing that, the more important the issue, the more responsibility political leaders should take in setting the direction. They also point out that postponing the discussion due to the election season or leaving the matter solely to public opinion is not desirable. Since this is the first time the integrated special city is being established, ensuring a stable transition is more important than anything, and the issue of the main government office should also be resolved as part of that process.

Multiple opinion polls have shown similar trends. In Gwangju, respondents preferred Gwangju City Hall; in the eastern region, the Eastern Regional Headquarters; and in the southwestern region, the Jeonnam Provincial Office. This ongoing debate about the main office location is becoming a practical question about how administrative functions and authority will be distributed after the integration.

An image representing the concept of the 'Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City,' which connects Jeonnam and Gwangju into a single administrative jurisdiction. Created using ChatGPT to aid in understanding the article.

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According to a telephone interview survey conducted by KBS Gwangju Broadcasting Station through Gallup Korea from March 22 to 23, 2026, targeting 1,603 residents aged 18 and older in Gwangju and Jeonnam (response rate: 14.9%, margin of error: ±2.4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level), 55% of respondents preferred Gwangju City Hall as the main office of the integrated special city. Jeonnam Eastern Regional Headquarters followed with 20%, and Jeonnam Provincial Office with 19%.

By region, preference for Gwangju City Hall was overwhelming in Gwangju at 87%. In Jeonnam, preferences were more evenly distributed: 33% for the Eastern Regional Headquarters, 31% for Gwangju City Hall, and 29% for Jeonnam Provincial Office. By area, the Eastern Regional Headquarters was preferred by 66% in the eastern region; Jeonnam Provincial Office was preferred by 64% in the southwestern region. In the suburban areas near Gwangju-such as Naju, Damyang, and Yeonggwang-61% preferred Gwangju City Hall.

A similar trend appeared in an automated response (ARS) survey commissioned by Namdo Ilbo and Gwangju CBS No Cut News to Realmeter, conducted during the same period with 1,787 men and women aged 18 and older in Gwangju and Jeonnam (response rate: 8.4%, margin of error: ±2.3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level). In this survey, Gwangju City Hall was also the most preferred at 40.4%, followed by Jeonnam Eastern Regional Headquarters at 18.9%, Naju Joint Innovation City at 15.7%, and Jeonnam Provincial Office at 15%.

By region, 70.1% in Gwangju preferred Gwangju City Hall; 59.9% in the eastern region preferred the Eastern Regional Headquarters; and 53.8% in the southwestern region preferred Jeonnam Provincial Office.

Min Hyungbae, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Mayor, consistently emphasized the principle of operating government offices dispersed across the three regions during the party’s primary. Min’s camp pointed to Article 7, Clause 3 of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Act, which stipulates that the integrated special city’s offices should be utilized and operated in a balanced way across the Eastern Regional Headquarters, Muan Office, and Gwangju City Hall. Based on this, they asserted that instead of concentrating the main government office in one location, a dispersed system centered on the eastern, western, and Gwangju regions should be maintained.

However, regarding the final location of the main office, their stance is that it should not be fixed by the special law but decided through a public consultation process in accordance with the principle of citizen sovereignty. The plan is to use all three offices together for a certain period after the launch of the integrated special city, and then determine the final direction through the collection of citizens' opinions.

From the left, Jeonnam Provincial Office (Muan), Gwangju City Hall, Jeonnam Eastern Regional Headquarters (Suncheon). A panoramic view of the three government buildings at the center of the discussion over the main office location ahead of the launch of the integrated special city of Jeonnam and Gwangju.

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Lee Junghyun, the People Power Party’s candidate for integrated special city mayor, emphasized the need to centralize the main government office for administrative efficiency.

While stating that "gathering citizens' opinions is the top priority," Lee also said, "As seen in the case of Sejong Government Complex, dispersing administrative functions inevitably increases travel and reporting costs." He further explained, "If the mayor and main offices are dispersed, it can cause delays in decision-making and weaken accountability," and concluded, "From the perspective of administrative speed and efficiency, it is most rational to place the main government office in Gwangju." He added that the Jeonnam region offices should instead expand their roles centered on industry and functions.

Kang Eunmi, the Justice Party’s candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Mayor, stated that the debate over the main government office should be reviewed not only in terms of administrative efficiency but also from the perspective of balanced regional development. Kang said, "If efficiency is the only criterion, administrative functions may become concentrated in Gwangju after integration, leaving the Jeonnam region relatively neglected," and emphasized the need to consider the reality of Jeonnam, where the risk of population decline is especially high. She stressed that, after the launch of the integrated special city, there should be a comprehensive process reviewing industrial allocation, relocation of public institutions, and function distribution according to the special law. Kang also mentioned the special law’s stipulation that Gwangju City Hall, Muan Office, and Jeonnam Eastern Regional Headquarters must be utilized and operated in a balanced way.

Lee Jongwook, the Progressive Party’s candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Mayor, proposed designating the current Gwangju City Hall in Chipyeong-dong as the main government office. Lee argued that, considering the prospect of a greater Honam regional integration, Gwangju City Hall is the most rational choice in terms of accessibility. However, he also said that the functions of main offices should be allocated in a balanced way according to regional characteristics and that the Eastern Regional Headquarters should be expanded and newly built. Lee further stated that the issue of the main government office is a matter of policy judgment and decision-making, rather than something to be resolved by a separate public discussion committee, and that achieving rapid integration without regional neglect is more important than prolonged debate over the office’s location.

Professor Emeritus Cho Jinsang of Dongshin University said, "Since this is an issue with high potential for conflict, it is necessary to reach a conclusion based on social consensus through a public consultation process."

He added, "Dividing the government offices equally into three parts may be acceptable for each region, but from the standpoint of administrative efficiency, it could cause problems. Even if the offices are divided in this way, the symbolic issue of where to designate the official address of the main government office will remain."

He also pointed out, "The office location issue is not just about the integrated Gwangju City Hall; it is also connected to the placement of other administrative bodies such as the police and education offices, as well as public institutions. To reduce conflicts and achieve both balanced regional development and administrative efficiency, a comprehensive review of where to assign various administrative functions is needed."

Gwang Kwangwan, Acting Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, and Hwang Giyeon, Acting Governor of Jeollanam-do, discussed the operation plan of the policy council and major integration tasks at the 1st meeting of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Policy Council held at the Naju Innovation City Complex Innovation Center on the afternoon of the 24th of last month. Photo by Gwangju City

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A representative of a civil group in Jeonnam stated, "It is not desirable to shift responsibility for difficult and important issues onto citizens' opinions. It is also problematic to claim only one's own region is correct, but avoiding discussion because it is election season is equally irresponsible." The representative added, "Since the integrated special city is just beginning, it must achieve a successful settlement, and the issue of the main government office is an essential part of that process."

Details of the opinion polls cited in this article can be found on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

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