South Jeolla-Gwangju Special City designates semiconductor investment support as its first ordinance

The South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City enacted 453 municipal regulations and administrative rules on Tuesday, coinciding with the city's official launch, to begin full integrated administrative operations.

The package comprises 333 municipal regulations — including 256 ordinances and 77 rules — and 120 administrative directives, including 90 internal instructions and 30 standing orders, for a combined total of 453 instruments.

The city prioritized enacting essential regulations immediately to prevent administrative gaps and minimize inconvenience to residents from the moment of launch.

The ordinance designated as "Ordinance Proclamation No. 1" — a symbolic distinction marking the city's founding — is the "Ordinance on Support for Global Semiconductor Strategic Investment in the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City."

The ordinance was enacted to facilitate global semiconductor strategic investment in line with national policy. Its key provisions cover the establishment and implementation of measures to attract and support semiconductor industry investment, the creation and functions of a dedicated committee, and one-stop corporate support services.

The move aligns with the central government's push to decentralize major investment in advanced strategic industries away from Greater Seoul and toward the regions. It also reflects Mayor Min Hyeong-bae's strong commitment to developing semiconductors, AI and other advanced industries as the core pillars of the new city.

Gwangju Metropolitan City and South Jeolla Province had carried out all required legal procedures for consolidating their municipal regulations, beginning with a comprehensive review in March. That process included drafting an implementation plan, joint deliberation on a unified proposal, public notice, legal review, and ordinance and rule deliberation committees.

Particular care was taken to ensure the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City Council could deliberate and pass the regulations smoothly upon its opening Tuesday. To that end, officials held two rounds each of preliminary briefings with council members-elect and agenda coordination meetings.

For the remaining 1,847 municipal regulations and administrative rules requiring further revision — covering areas such as the scope of resident benefits, fiscal burden-sharing and disaster safety provisions — the city plans to develop integrated proposals in stages through sufficient consultation and coordination.

Regulations and rules not consolidated in this round will continue to apply in their respective former jurisdictions until unified legislation is in place, pursuant to transitional provisions including Article 10 of the supplementary clauses of the Special Act on the Establishment of the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City. Separate transitional provisions have also been established for internal administrative instructions and standing orders to ensure continuity of existing administrative standards and procedures.

Choe Seon-yeong, the city's director of legislative affairs, said the city would "pursue the task of consolidating municipal regulations step by step without disruption to ensure the stable operation of the integrated special city," adding that it would "complete the legal framework needed to deliver integrated administration that residents find seamless."