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November 11, 2009
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| Six regions in Korea have voted in favor of an administrative merger, according to the results of an opinion poll conducted by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security released yesterday. The ministry surveyed over 36,000 residents in the 46 cities and counties from 18 regions that had submitted merger proposals. When asked for their opinion about a consolidation of administrative districts, over 50 percent of residents from six regions said they supported the plans. At least 500 to 1,000 residents in areas under consideration for a merger participated in the ministry’s poll, the ministry explained. If successfully combined, the administrative regions will be launched a month after local elections next June and will qualify for administrative and financial assistance from the central government, Lee Dal-gon, the minister for public administration, said in a press briefing at the central government complex on Sejongno, central Seoul, yesterday. “Once the merger plans for these [six] regions are finalized, a special government committee under the prime minister will be launched to map out the areas’ long-term development plans,” Lee said. If a merger results in a new administrative district with over one million residents, the districts will be able to exercise more autonomy over administrative matters, Lee added. The six regions and percentage supporting mergers are Cheongju (89.7%) and Cheongwon County (50.2%) in North Chungcheong; Suwon (62.3%), Hwaseong (56.3%) and Osan (63.4%) in Gyeonggi; Seongnam (54%), Hanam (69.9%) and Gwangju (82.4%) in Gyeonggi; Anyang (75.1%), Gunpo (63.6%) and Uiwang (55.8%) in Gyeonggi; Changwon (57.3%), Masan (87.7%) and Jinhae (58.7%) in South Gyeongsang; Jinju (66.2%) and Sancheong County (83.1%) in South Gyeongsang. If the city, county and district council members in the six regions approve the merger plan, the areas will be combined. If any opposes the idea, the fate of the merger will be determined by voters. A third of the residents have to participate in the vote. Reactions to the results of the opinion poll were mixed. Kim Moon-soo, the governor of Gyeonggi, issued a statement demanding the central government let residents vote on the mergers. “The consolidation of counties and cities is an important issue as it will decide the future of local autonomous governments,” Kim said in a statement. But the mayors of Seongnam, Hanam and Gwangju in Gyeonggi hailed the survey results. “With the merger, the three cities will transform into a brand new one,” Kim Hwang-sik, the Hanam mayor, said. By Kim Mi-ju, Kim Sang-woo [mijukim@joongang.co.kr] |
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