Saemangeum Special Entity Launch Faces Hurdles Amid Jurisdictional Disputes

The push to establish a special self-governing entity for Saemangeum by year-end, a key initiative championed by North Jeolla Province Governor Lee Won-taek, is encountering significant obstacles related to jurisdictional conflicts. The Gunsan City Council's insistence that territorial disputes must be resolved before the special entity can be launched has cast a shadow over the province's plans for swift implementation.

The proposed special self-governing entity is designed as a cooperative framework for the cities of Gunsan, Gimje, and Buan. It aims to facilitate joint ventures in areas such as investment attraction, industry, tourism, and infrastructure development, while allowing the three cities to maintain their existing administrative boundaries. However, the process of forming a joint task force, the initial step towards establishing the entity, has already faced setbacks.

Last year, an attempt to form a joint task force faltered when Gimje City postponed its participation amid disputes over Saemangeum's jurisdiction. Following the recent launch of the 9th popularly elected local government, Governor Lee has repeatedly expressed his commitment to launching the special entity within the year. Yet, the Gunsan City Council has now raised objections, demanding that the issue of jurisdiction over the Saemangeum New Port be settled first. The council has also criticized the ongoing discussions about the special entity, arguing that sufficient public opinion has not been gathered.

The core challenge remains the unresolved jurisdictional disputes over Saemangeum. The establishment process requires the formation of a joint task force, the drafting of bylaws, approval from each local council, and final endorsement from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. With the year-end deadline looming, resolving the regional conflicts over the Saemangeum New Port's jurisdiction is paramount for timely progress.

North Jeolla Province plans to intensify its efforts to persuade local stakeholders once the provincial government's political affairs team is fully staffed. Lee Min-sook, head of the province's Autonomous Administration Bureau, recently stated that the political team would focus on persuading Gunsan. The upcoming decision by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Central Dispute Adjustment Committee on the Saemangeum New Port's jurisdiction next month is anticipated to be a critical juncture for the special entity's initiative.

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Once the political affairs team is formed, they will take on a political role and continue efforts to persuade Gunsan.