Suh Samsuk Proposes Amendment to Special Act to Rename "Muan Government Complex" to "Jeonnam Government Complex"

"There is a Jeonnam Eastern Government Complex, but no Jeonnam Government Complex"

Carrying on Jeonnam’s History and Identity as the Center of Regional Administration

Suh Samsuk, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea representing Yeongam, Muan, and Shinan, has sponsored what is called the "Jeonnam Government Complex Act," which seeks to change the current name of the "Muan Government Complex" within the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City to the "Jeonnam Government Complex."

Suh Samsok, Member of the National Assembly.

Assemblyman Suh announced that he has sponsored an amendment bill that revises Article 7, Paragraph 3 of the “Special Act on the Establishment of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City,” changing the name of the building prescribed as "Muan Government Complex" to "Jeonnam Government Complex."

The current special act designates the special city government buildings as "Jeonnam Eastern Government Complex, Muan Government Complex, and Gwangju Government Complex."

However, while the former Gwangju City Hall has retained the name "Gwangju Government Complex," and the eastern district has kept "Jeonnam Eastern Government Complex," only the former Jeonnam Provincial Government Complex, which served as the center of regional administration for the entire Jeonnam area, is named after its location as "Muan Government Complex." This has led to criticism that the name erases Jeonnam’s history and identity from the building.

In particular, Suh Samsuk points out that having the "Jeonnam Eastern Government Complex" while the central government complex of Jeonnam is named "Muan Government Complex" instead of "Jeonnam Government Complex" is inconsistent with the overall naming convention.

If the Jeonnam Eastern Government Complex serves the eastern region, it is natural that the old Jeonnam provincial government building in Muan, which has functioned as the main center for regional administration representing all of Jeonnam, should be called the "Jeonnam Government Complex."

The proposed amendment stipulates that the names of the integrated city government buildings should be standardized as "Jeonnam Government Complex, Jeonnam Eastern Government Complex, and Gwangju Government Complex." If the bill passes, this change is expected to make the historical and administrative roles of each building more clearly reflected in their names.

The fact that the integrated city council is already using the names "Jeonnam Government Complex" and "Gwangju Government Complex" also adds weight to the need for the amendment.

Currently, the executive office located in Muan is referred to as the "Muan Government Complex," while the adjacent former Jeonnam Provincial Council building is being used as the "Jeonnam Government Complex." As a result, there has been criticism that there is an inconsistency in naming between the executive branch and the council, even within the same space.

Assemblyman Suh stated, “Muan Government Complex is merely a name indicating the location of the building, whereas Jeonnam Government Complex captures Jeonnam’s history, administrative functions, and identity. The current government complex in Muan is not a town hall for a specific area but, as the former Jeonnam provincial government, has served as the central facility for the entire province's regional administration.”

He added, “Integration should not be a process that erases the histories and identities of the former Jeonnam and Gwangju regions, but rather one that inherits both regions’ histories and assets to create a new community. Leaving the ‘Jeonnam’ name in the province’s historic administrative center is significant for establishing the special integrated city’s identity.”

He continued, “The purpose of this proposal is to firmly establish the government complex in Muan as the central office representing the whole of Jeonnam. By passing this amendment, we aim for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City to realize the true meaning of integration, where neither Gwangju nor Jeonnam is favored but both regions are fully represented.”

Agreement signed on January 27 regarding the naming of the government building following the integration of Gwangju, Jeonnam.

This amendment is meaningful not only because it changes the government building’s name, but also because it seeks to clearly preserve Jeonnam's historical significance and symbolic value in law, which could otherwise be diluted during the integration process.

As discussions continue on how best to balance the inherited functions and assets of Gwangju and Jeonnam after integration, attention is focused on whether the proposal to rename the building as “Jeonnam Government Complex” will pass the National Assembly’s review.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.