Moon pledges constitutional revision for power decentralization

By Kim Rahn

President Moon Jae-in has vowed to seek a constitutional revision to empower regional governments, setting up a virtual federal system.

He renewed the pledge for decentralization of power Thursday during a ceremony in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, to mark Local Autonomy Day.

Moon pledged during his election campaign to seek a referendum on revising the Constitution in tandem with the local elections slated for June, which would limit excessive presidential authority and give more autonomy to municipalities.

“The new government has a goal to establish a decentralized republic in which the capital and other areas co-prosper,” he said in a speech.

“For that goal, I’ll pursue a constitutional revision for decentralization of power. I’ll seek to make it a law to hold ‘second Cabinet meetings’ comprised of the heads of 17 regional governments,” the President said.

Moon also vowed to embed the rights of local governments to allow independent and autonomous legislation, administration, finances and welfare in the Constitution.

“As all parties reached a consensus on local autonomy during the presidential election, I expect the political circle to have reasonable and swift discussions on the issue,” he said.

Moon promised to transfer many state functions to regional governments by gradually establishing the necessary rules. In finance, the government will increase the distribution ratio of taxes between the central and local governments from the current 8:2 to 7:3, and to 6:4 in the long term, according to Moon.

Regional governments will be given more power such as that to operate municipal police, and set up their own education systems, while residents will have expanded rights in politics through referenda on more diverse issues and eased rules on recalls, Moon said.

He said the nation’s development plan has long focused on Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, resulting in impoverishment in rural areas and a national divide between people in the capital region and those in other parts of the country.

“Local autonomy and balanced development is the top value of national development, and also the best strategy for sustainable development,” he said.

In a meeting with 17 mayors and governors before the ceremony, the President called for their support and cooperation in drawing up a roadmap for his decentralization plan.

“Korea has achieved fast development through joint efforts by all the people. In the era of rapid growth, centralized state management may have been effective. But now is the time when such a management style can no longer produce growth momentum. Now autonomy and decentralization will be the new growth engines,” he said.

Moon said he reaffirmed the public desire for grassroots democracy through the candlelit protests against the massive corruption scandal that ousted his predecessor Park Geun-hye.

“People’s lives can take a leap when they can participate in resolving everyday problems through autonomy. While pursuing decentralization, I will also pay attention to balanced development to prevent regional disparity,” he said.