Jeong Myeonggeun, Hwaseong Mayor: "Clarify Special Cities' Legal Status First to Secure Fiscal Privileges"

Regular meeting of five special cities held in Yongin... Four key tasks discussed, including fiscal authority, administrative affairs, and organization
Meeting with interior minister planned for December ahead of special act taking effect next June
Mayor Jeong Myeonggeun: "Clarifying special cities' legal status and solidarity among the five cities are essential"

Jeong Myeong-geun, mayor of Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province, said on November 12 that the five special cities must jointly respond and that the Local Autonomy Act must clearly define their legal status to expand their fiscal authority.

Hwaseong Special City Mayor Jeong Myeonggeun (center) joins hands with attendees for a commemorative photo at the second regular meeting of the Korea Special City Mayors Council in 2026. Photo provided by Yongin City.

At a regular meeting of the Korea Special City Mayors' Council held in Yongin that day, Mayor Jeong said, "To secure the fiscal privileges we need most urgently, we must first clarify the legal status of special cities." The meeting was attended by Mayor Jeong, Changwon Mayor Kang Giyun, Yongin Mayor Lee Sangil, Goyang Mayor Min Gyeongseon, and Kim Hyeonsu, First Vice Mayor of Suwon.

With the Special Act on Support for Special Cities set to take effect on June 3 next year, attendees discussed jointly urging the government to address four key tasks: establishing the cities' legal status, granting them fiscal privileges, expanding their core special administrative powers, and expanding their authority over local government organization.

Article 2 of the current Local Autonomy Act classifies basic local governments as cities, counties, and districts. The council discussed a proposal to separately define the legal status of special cities in the article. It also discussed providing funding and personnel to enable them to carry out administrative affairs transferred from the central or metropolitan governments, as well as increasing adjustment grants and collection grants.

The council plans to arrange a meeting with the Minister of the Interior and Safety next month and urge the National Assembly and central government to improve the system.

Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun said, "With the Special Act on Support for Special Cities, enacted after years of effort, set to take effect next year, it is now time to turn the achievements of the legislation into a meaningful expansion of authority and changes that citizens can feel. To secure the fiscal privileges we need most urgently, we must first clarify the legal status of special cities." He emphasized the point.

He added, "The five special cities must work closely together and continue consulting with the National Assembly and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to bring about meaningful improvements to the system."

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