"This is a historic achievement that opens an era of great unification and great revival, reuniting Jeonnam and Gwangju as one."
South Jeolla Province Governor Kim Young-rok posted this message on his Facebook page on June 1, welcoming the passage of the "Special Act for the Establishment of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City" by the National Assembly plenary session. "I warmly welcome this with open arms, together with 3.2 million residents of South Jeolla Province and Gwangju," he said.
"This achievement came just 59 days after we officially proposed administrative integration on December 28 last year," Governor Kim emphasized. "It is highly significant as the fruit of President Lee Jae-myung's full support combined with the passionate aspirations of our residents."
South Jeolla Province plans to mobilize all administrative resources to prepare for the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City in July as South Korea's first metropolitan integration model.
To ensure stable implementation of the administrative merger, the province will convert the existing "Administrative Integration Promotion Planning Group" into an "Administrative Integration Working Preparation Group" and begin developing detailed implementation plans for organizational, fiscal, and administrative integration jointly with Gwangju Metropolitan City. Starting this month, the related organization will be expanded into a bureau-level formal body to systematically prepare for taking over duties and establishing systems following the transfer of central government authority.
The province will also focus on enacting enforcement decrees necessary for implementing the special law. It plans to develop specific implementation measures for provisions and special exemptions included in the legislation and gradually establish the institutional foundation needed for the special city's launch through sector-specific ordinances and administrative system improvements. Additional authority and special provisions not specified in the law will be reviewed through ongoing consultations with the central government.
Industrial strategies to boost regional vitality after the special city's launch are also underway. A "Special Task Force for Attracting Enterprises to the 4-Million Special City" was established on February 23 and has begun operations. The task force will develop customized attraction strategies reflecting regional industrial conditions and phase in implementation tasks to expand the special city's industrial base.
In particular, the "Y4-nomics" vision will be developed around the 3+1 axis covering four zones: the Gwangju zone, western zone, eastern zone, and southern zone. The province will pursue competitiveness in future high-tech industries including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, and secondary batteries, alongside regional core industries such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and cultural tourism.
The province is also reviewing possibilities for relocating and attracting major public institutions including the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, Korea District Heating Corporation, and Korea Racing Authority to expand industrial infrastructure and revitalize the regional economy.
Following the special city's launch, efforts will be made to strengthen international competitiveness through hosting international events and expanding cultural infrastructure.
Preparations are being phased in with the goal of hosting the 2028 G20 Summit. If selected, a distributed operation model connecting all of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province is being considered to broaden region-wide participation.
In the cultural sector, plans include developing a cultural arts cluster centered on the Asia Culture Center in the Geumnam-ro area of Gwangju. Options under review include attracting a Gwangju branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, establishing a Peace Art Museum, and building creative residencies.
The province also plans to develop cultural content based on the May 18 Democratic Uprising and explore connections between existing international events such as the Gwangju Biennale and the Jeonnam International Ink Painting Biennale to enhance the cultural industry's scalability and the city's brand competitiveness.
South Jeolla Province plans to establish an institutional foundation for balanced development and strengthened social safety nets across the entire special city. To this end, it will develop specific operational plans for a balanced development fund and establish a fiscal management system that prevents concentration in specific areas, promoting mutual prosperity across all zones.