The Democratic Party of Korea's South Jeolla-Gwangju chapter and the South Jeolla-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City will launch their first joint party-government council Tuesday to tackle the region's key agenda items — including 20 trillion won ($14.5 billion) in integrated fiscal support, the establishment of a national medical school in South Jeolla Province, and an 800 trillion won Honam semiconductor industry initiative.
The party chapter will hold a policy council with South Jeolla-Gwangju Mayor Min Hyeong-bae at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in Seminar Room 2 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Party chapter Chairman Ahn Do-geol, the 17 regional committee chairs and Mayor Min are expected to attend.
The central focus will be the government's pledge of up to 20 trillion won in fiscal support for the newly integrated city.
The government announced in January that it would provide up to 5 trillion won per year for four years — a maximum of 20 trillion won — as an incentive for the administrative merger of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province.
Of the 20 trillion won, 6 trillion won is under consideration for a semiconductor account, with the remaining 14 trillion won to be managed under a general account.
The council is expected to discuss amendments to the special integration law to include provisions for central government fund contributions and the legal basis for the city to establish its own fund, as well as the specific allocation and use of the resources.
A key challenge for party-government cooperation will be not merely securing the 20 trillion won total, but determining how to channel the funds into areas such as future industries including semiconductors, a metropolitan transportation network, and balanced development between the eastern and western regions.
The contentious issue of a national medical school is also on the agenda. Negotiations between Mokpo National University and Suncheon National University over a merger have effectively collapsed due to disagreements over the medical school's location. The Ministry of Education has recently asked South Jeolla-Gwangju to select and recommend one of the two universities as the candidate for the new national medical school.
The city has tasked the Jeonnam Research Institute with conducting an evaluation and plans to submit a single candidate to the government by Sunday.
sij@heraldcorp.com
