By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
Korea has had a long struggle streamlining 246 local and regional governments that constitute the nation's administrative entities. In its latest effort to expedite the process, it recently announced special legislation for supporting cities, counties or districts that may consolidate.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MOPAS) proposed a bill to give incentives to municipalities that initiate integration with nearby administrative entities that share common living and economic spheres.
``The new bill represents the necessity to bring together municipalities with potential for synergy effects and support those that lack self-sufficiency,'' Kang Byung-kyu, second vice minister of MOPAS, said in a recent press conference.
The ministry will forward the bill to the National Assembly in May, with the hope of seeing it implemented within the year.
In such a case, consolidated municipalities with a population over 500,000 will be authorized to have development rights, with no obligation to report to the provincial government.
Also, the central government will increase the volume of special financial aid to these municipalities: Pursuant to their population and budgetary capacity, they can receive as much as one billion won for contingency management or new enterprises that benefit the region.
Officials also emphasized that streamlining neighboring municipalities can cut administrative costs, as in the case of the 1998 integration of Yeosu City, Yeocheon City and Yeocheon County into one city now known as simply Yeosu.
Before 1998, there were 1,942 employees serving the local governments in the region, but now there are only 1,658, a significant 15-percent reduction.
Initially, Korea had planned to get rid of provinces and establish 60 to 70 municipalities. But in anticipation of fervent opposition from politicians and citizens alike, the government has redirected its focus on consolidating municipalities that are geographically close and share similar regional sentiment.
Recent MOPAS reports project that Masan, Changwon, Jinhae and Haman may become one administrative entity. Currently, they are separate cities belonging to Gyeongsang Province with their own city governments and various administrative facilities that could be consolidated, resulting in cost benefits.
In Jeolla Province, discussions are underway to bring together Suncheon, Yeosu and Gwangyang cities. Mokpo and Muan, and Jeonju and Wanju, are also contemplating a future as one city.
While there is a general consensus over the necessity of streamlining municipalities, some political and civic circles have been apprehensive, claiming that the government's intention will fail to produce the desired outcome.
Lee Ki-wu, professor of law at Inha University and head of the local autonomy division at the Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice, issued a rebuttal following the government's March 17 proposal of the bill.
``It should be taken into account that Korea's municipalities are already quite extensive. Enlarged administrative entities may cause inconveniences for citizens,'' noted Lee. "The government should cautiously seek opinions from various walks of life before unilaterally making a decision."
While a recent survey among lawmakers in Gyeonggi Province revealed that 77 percent welcomed the downsizing of 31 Geyonggi municipalities into 10, other regions are not as forthcoming about the bill. Haman County, for example, is concerned that upon integration with bigger cities like Masan and Jinhae, their citizens will be subject to higher taxes and unwanted facilities.
The current debate over downsizing the number of municipalities is a repetition of the controversy that surrounded similar ventures in 1994 when Korea reduced 80 cities and counties to 40.
The government is hoping that enacting the bill will pick up momentum when the National Assembly sets up a special committee at the end of this month.