Special Cities Coordinate Joint Response Ahead of Next Year's 'Special Cities Special Law'

Hwaseong Special City Mayor Jung Myeong-geun emphasized joint response to secure financial provisions and establish legal status for special cities at the 2nd Regular Meeting of the Republic of Korea Special Cities Mayors Association held in Yongin on the 12th.

The meeting was attended by Hwaseong Special City Mayor Jung Myeong-geun, Changwon Special City Mayor Kang Ki-yoon, Yongin Special City Mayor Lee Sang-il, Goyang Special City Mayor Min Kyung-seon, and Suwon Special City First Vice Mayor Kim Hyun-soo.

In particular, the meeting discussed tasks to expand practical autonomous authority and lead to tangible changes that citizens can feel, ahead of the implementation of the "Special Act on Support for Special Cities" (hereinafter "Special Act") on June 3 next year.

The "Special Act on Support for Special Cities" was promulgated on June 2 last year and is scheduled for implementation on June 3, 2027. The Special Act contains provisions for establishing a national support system for special cities and strengthening autonomous capacity through task-specific provisions tailored to regional characteristics.

At the meeting, the association decided to jointly recommend to the government four core agendas: establishing the legal status of special cities, granting financial provisions, expanding core task-specific provisions, and expanding autonomous organization authority.

In particular, the association shared the necessity of amending the "Local Autonomy Act" to clarify the legal status of special cities, as well as preparing practical financial support measures including resource and personnel support necessary for carrying out transferred tasks and expanding coordination grants and collection-based grants.

The association plans to hold discussions with the Minister of Interior and Safety in December based on these joint proposals, and will continue to recommend to the National Assembly and central government the necessity of institutional improvements for special cities.

Hwaseong Special City Mayor Jung Myeong-geun stated, "With the implementation of the Special Act on Support for Special Cities—enacted through long-term efforts—coming next year, this is now the time to translate the achievements of the law into practical expansion of authority and tangible changes for citizens," and emphasized, "To secure the most urgent financial provisions, we must first clarify the legal status of special cities."