Jinju City Discusses Countermeasures for LH Restructuring and Integration of Power Generation Public Enterprises

"Emergency Countermeasure Meeting for Attracting Public Institutions" Led by Mayor Kyu-Il Cho
Retention of LH Headquarters Functions in Jinju,
Attraction of Integrated Power Generation Headquarters,
and Response to the Second Phase of Relocation

Jinju City, located in South Gyeongsang Province, has begun preparing countermeasures in response to the government's public institution policies, including the restructuring of Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH), the integration of power generation public enterprises, and the second phase of public institution relocation.

On September 7, the city announced that Kyu-Il Cho, the mayor, presided over the "Emergency Countermeasure Meeting for Attracting Public Institutions to Jinju Innovation City" to discuss regional response strategies to the government's newly announced "Public Institution Function Reform Plan (Public Institution DIET 2026)."

[Photo by Jinju City] On the 7th, Jinju Mayor Kyu-il Cho presided over the "Urgent Countermeasure Meeting for Attracting Public Institutions to Jinju Innovation City," discussing response measures for LH organizational restructuring, attracting the integrated headquarters of development public corporations, and the second relocation of public institutions.

The meeting was attended by Mayor Cho and executives of the committee for attracting public institutions. Participants shared Jinju City's official stance and the outcomes of recent visits to government ministries and members of the National Assembly regarding key issues, such as opposition to the separation and relocation of LH, attracting the integrated headquarters of power generation public corporations, and the second phase of public institution relocation.

The main agenda item discussed at the meeting was the restructuring of LH.

Jinju City stated that, while the government is pursuing LH function reforms to expand housing supply, the relocation of the headquarters functions or personnel to another region as a result of organizational separation could significantly impact both Jinju Innovation City and the local economy.

Accordingly, the city plans to formally request the government to reconsider its LH restructuring plan. In the event organizational separation is pursued, Jinju City will communicate its position that the new organization's headquarters, main functions, and personnel must remain in Jinju Innovation City.

Measures to attract the integrated headquarters resulting from the power generation public enterprise merger were also discussed.

If the merger of power generation public enterprises, including Korea South-East Power Co., proceeds, Jinju City intends to attract the integrated headquarters to Jinju Innovation City in South Gyeongsang Province.

The city cites the current location of Korea South-East Power's headquarters in Jinju Innovation City, the region's industry-academia-research infrastructure, and quality of life for residents as its rationale for attracting the unified headquarters.

The selection of the integrated headquarters' location will ultimately be decided in the government's forthcoming discussions on the merger of power generation public enterprises and the second phase of public institution relocation. As part of its efforts, Jinju City also plans to organize a signature campaign with 100,000 citizens and a resolution event at the National Assembly.

The level of preparedness for the second phase of public institution relocation was also reviewed.

To prepare for the government's relocation plans, Jinju City will update data on available sites and vacant spaces in the area, and, if target institutions are identified, develop tailored attraction strategies for each institution.

The city also intends to monitor the status of organizations mentioned as candidates for integration or adjustment during the government's restructuring process, with the aim of attracting institutions that can be linked with existing relocated agencies and local industries in Jinju Innovation City.

Mayor Kyu-Il Cho stated, "We will carefully analyze the government's announcement and review how LH organizational restructuring will impact the region," adding, "We will continue to communicate the city's position to the government concerning the retention of LH in Jinju, the attraction of the integrated headquarters of power generation public enterprises, and the second phase of public institution relocation."

Jinju City plans to build a unified response system including civil society and local political circles, while also pursuing government and National Assembly visits, submitting petitions supporting the attraction of the integrated power generation headquarters, and collaborating with South Gyeongsang Province for joint action.

However, the specific method of LH restructuring, whether or not the power generation public enterprises will be merged, the location of the integrated headquarters, and the public institutions subject to the second phase of relocation may change depending on the government's subsequent discussions and policy decisions. Therefore, it will be necessary to closely observe the upcoming process.

Both the restructuring of LH and the integration of power generation public enterprises could have considerable impact on Jinju Innovation City. While Jinju City's efforts to attract and retain these institutions are important, they must be backed by clear rationale and strategy.

The government, for its part, should consider not only efficiency but also the impact on the regional economy and balanced national development during the process of public institution restructuring.

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