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🇰🇷 South Korea /Technology

Jeonnam and Gwangju reunited after 40 years… Will the balanced development experiment succeed on the back of semiconductors?

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The South Korean provinces of Jeonnam and the city of Gwangju have officially merged to form the "Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City."
  • This administrative integration aims to boost regional economic development and address population decline, creating a metropolitan area with a population of 3.17 million.
  • The merger is seen as a crucial experiment in balanced regional development, with expectations of enhanced economic competitiveness and a "60-minute living sphere" for residents.

In a significant move towards regional revitalization, the South Korean provinces of Jeonnam and the city of Gwangju have officially merged, creating the "Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City." This administrative integration, culminating after a swift process involving special legislation and public consultations, establishes a new metropolitan entity with a population of 3.17 million.

We are working with the hope that the integration will go well.

— Kim Hyung-shinA construction foreman overseeing the installation of new flags at the Jeonnam Provincial Office, symbolizing the upcoming merger.

The newly formed Special City is poised to become a major economic hub, boasting a regional gross domestic product (GRDP) of approximately 159 trillion won (as of 2024). This positions it as the third-largest economic entity in South Korea, following Gyeonggi Province and Seoul. The merger is expected to eliminate administrative waste, reduce inter-regional competition, and facilitate integrated planning for infrastructure, potentially creating a "60-minute living sphere" for its residents.

The integrated Special City will have a status equivalent to Seoul Special City.

— Special Act on the Establishment of Jeonnam-Gwangju Special CityA quote from the special legislation enabling the merger.

A primary driver for this ambitious integration is the escalating crisis of regional decline in the face of a heavily concentrated Seoul metropolitan area. Jeonnam and Gwangju, once a single entity, have experienced significant population decreases since their separation. The merger is viewed as a critical "experiment" in balanced national development, attracting attention from the central government and the entire country.

The integration is being done to create conditions that can compete with the Seoul metropolitan area or the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region.

— Lee Jeong-rokLee Jeong-rok, professor emeritus of geography at Chonnam National University, discusses the strategic importance of the merger.

To support this initiative, the central government has pledged substantial financial aid, committing up to 20 trillion won over four years. The region aims to establish itself as a "regional revival" model and a competitive economic zone comparable to the Seoul metropolitan area. The recent announcement of massive semiconductor investments by major corporations like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix has further fueled optimism about the merger's economic potential, with experts suggesting these investments are a "gift" to the newly unified city, designed to foster growth.

Is it not a 'merger gift' that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are building semiconductor factories?

— Lee Jeong-rokProfessor Lee Jeong-rok suggests the semiconductor investments are linked to the merger's success.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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