Mayor of unified Jeonnam-Gwangju city thanks president at Cabinet meeting

Min Hyeong-bae, mayor of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City, attended a Cabinet meeting Tuesday and expressed gratitude to President Lee Jae Myung and Cabinet members for their support in launching the new city.

Speaking at the meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae, Min said the president's decision had reunited South Jeolla Province and Gwangju, which were split 40 years ago by the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan in a bid to divide and rule the region.

The meeting was closed to the public partway through, cutting his remarks short.

Min had originally planned to use the Cabinet meeting to ask the government for full support on key regional issues, including semiconductors, sources said.

Tuesday's meeting marked the first time Min attended a Cabinet session since the launch of the 9th elected local government.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety recently announced a proposed partial amendment to Cabinet meeting regulations. The amendment would require the mayor of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City — which launched July 1 — as well as the heads of the National Association of Mayors and Governors and the National Association of Mayors, County Heads and District Mayors to attend Cabinet meetings on a standing basis.