Korea pushes for regional megacity initiatives aiming to decentralize Seoul

From left, North Gyeongsang Gov. Lee Cheol-woo, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and Chairman of the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development Woo Dong-gi talk about an agreement to launch an integrated provincial government of North Gyeongsang, at the Government Complex Seoul, June 4. Yonhap

Local governments in Korea are aggressively advancing megacity initiatives to tackle the centralization of the metropolitan area, particularly Seoul, and to promote balanced regional development.

While experts agree that ongoing discussions are crucial to addressing centralization in the country, they pointed out that local governments' plans still face significant practical challenges.

Local governments are accelerating their efforts to implement megacity plans, with Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province recently signing an agreement to integrate their administrative systems by 2026.

The initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of provinces and cities facing demographic and financial decline. By increasing population and economic resources, local governments argue that metropolitan-level administrative integration can prevent overlapping projects and improve resource allocation efficiency through strategic selection and concentration.

On June 4, a roadmap was unveiled for the initiation of a special act for the integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province within this year, aiming to launch an integrated local government by July 1, 2026.

Discussion over the integration initiative began last month with a proposal from Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo.

Hong outlined the suggestion and plan via Facebook on April 20, advocating for a new administrative system for the merged region that would be directed by the prime minister's office, similar to the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), and not controlled by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Currently, 16 local governments are overseen by both the interior ministry and the prime minister's office, with the SMG being the sole exception, operating independently of the interior ministry.

In response, the government has pledged to establish a task force to support the integration and consider providing both direct and indirect costs, along with granting special administrative and financial measures.

The goal is to make the integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province a model for administrative system reform.

From left, South Chungcheong Province Gov. Kim Tae-heum, North Chungcheong Province Gov. Kim Yong-hwan, Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho and Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo pose after discussing a megacity plan of Chungcheong region at Sejong Local Government Hall, Nov. 13, 2023. Courtesy of Sejong City Government

The Chungcheong area, encompassing Daejeon, Sejong, North and South Chungcheong provinces, is advancing plans to establish a special local government as a preliminary step toward administrative integration.

This special local government would unite the administrative areas of the four cities and provinces, setting the stage for eventual full integration.

The local leaders have also called on the government for comprehensive support in creating this special local government, with the aim of building a megacity in the Chungcheong region.

An aerial view of the Sejong Government Complex / Korea Times file

As discussions about a megacity plan for Seoul, already the largest city in the country, continue, experts stated that it's better to focus on megacity initiatives in regional areas while acknowledging the practical challenges involved.

Nahm Kee-bom, an urban sociology professor at the University of Seoul, supports the idea of actively discussing megacities in the provinces, particularly highlighting the potential of the Chungcheong region, which includes Sejong.

"Sejong already hosts many government ministries," Nahm said.

"Additionally, the Chungcheong area attracts numerous companies due to regulatory policies in metropolitan areas like Seoul."

In the case of Sejong, the ruling People Power Party has proposed relocating the National Assembly to the city, further solidifying its status as an administrative hub.

However, Nahm emphasized that merely having industrial complexes or administrative agencies does not guarantee that talented individuals will settle in the provinces. The presence of robust cultural infrastructure is crucial for attracting and retaining talent.

He also criticized local governments for overly focusing on administrative district integration in their megacity plans.

"The idea of a megacity is not about integrating administrative districts, but creating a network of industries, populations, transportation and information," he explained.

"When administrative districts become too large, they can become inefficient."

Jang Jae-min, representative director of the Korea Institute for Urban Policy, stressed the importance of establishing livable conditions before assigning specific roles, such as industry or administration, to a city.

"Cities follow a specific development sequence. Initially, the focus should be on residential areas, followed by establishing essential amenities such as restaurants as well as educational and commercial districts," he said.

Citing Sejong City as an example, he noted that despite housing most government agencies, the city lacks adequate transportation infrastructure, such as a subway system, making car travel necessary.

"Transportation is the most crucial factor in achieving metropolitanization, such as megacity plans," Jang emphasized.

Lee Chang-moo, an urban economics professor at Hanyang University, emphasized that strategic choice and concentration are essential for the success of the megacity strategy.

He explained that the essence of a successful megacity, which can genuinely promote balanced regional development, lies in the productive interconnection of urban areas that already form cohesive city regions. This integration can create a unified urban space capable of generating substantial synergy effects.

"Rather than forming a megacity coalition based solely on geographical accessibility, it should be based on the living areas of people and the potential for linking economic activities," Lee said, citing the example of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.