COGNICURRENT

Citizens in Gwangju and Jeonnam gathered at the National Assembly to advocate for the inclusion of the May 18 democratic movement ethos in the constitutional preamble to ensure a nation free from civil strife.

The proposal to establish a special administrative city in Jeonnam and Gwangju passed the National Assembly's Legislative Judiciary Committee, while consolidation proposals for Chungnam-Daejeon and Daegu-Gyeongbuk were suspended due to opposition from the ruling party.

The integrated special law for Jeonnam and Gwangju passed through the Legislative Judiciary Committee, while other integration laws faced delays due to insufficient public consensus.

The South Korean National Assembly is currently divided over special laws for administrative integration, particularly regarding the consolidation of various regions, leading to significant political tensions.

The Old Jeonnam Provincial Office, a historical site of the May 18 Democratic Movement, has been restored after over two decades, but errors in content and layout have raised concerns.

A special law for the establishment of an integrated metropolitan city between Jeonnam and Gwangju was passed by the National Assembly's Legal Affairs Committee.

64 writers have been selected to participate in the InSong Literary Village's residency program in Haenam, South Korea.

Jeonnam and Gwangju are generally satisfied with the passing of a special law aimed at integrating the two regions, as modified by the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee.

A special law for the administrative integration of Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Jeonnam-Gwangju, and Chungnam-Cheongju regions was passed in South Korea's National Assembly Standing Committee and is expected to be processed by the end of the month.

Gwangju City's mayor expressed a mixed reaction following the passage of the administrative integration special law, highlighting both positive developments and significant omissions.

The cities of Gwangju and Jeonnam are requesting the second relocation of public institutions as a follow-up to their administrative integration efforts, highlighting the strategic importance of these institutions in their regions.

The Justice Innovation Party and the Basic Income Party have introduced bills aiming for the administrative integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju, drawing attention from civic groups following prior legislation proposed by the Democratic Party.

Environmental groups are urging the deletion of specific provisions in a special law regarding the administrative integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju that they claim could facilitate the construction of a cable car in Jirisan National Park.

The South Korean government has indicated it cannot accept many provisions of the special law for the establishment of a unified city in Gwangju and Jeonnam, raising concerns among local officials.

The Jeonnam provincial government issued an apology after Gindo County Mayor Kim Hee-soo faced backlash for suggesting the 'importation' of Vietnamese women to address a declining population issue.

Citizen groups have decided to file a constitutional complaint against the Gwangju City Council's decision to process the administrative merger with Jeollanam-do without public input.

The preliminary candidate registration for the June 3 local education superintendent elections has started, highlighting the significance of candidate unification between conservative and progressive factions and discussions of administrative integration in regions like Gwangju, Jeonnam, Daejeon, Chungnam, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk.

As discussions on administrative integration accelerate ahead of the local elections, the issue of coordinating candidates from both parties garners attention, particularly in politically competitive regions like Jeonnam-Gwangju and Daegu-Gyeongbuk.

The Democratic Party plans to process the special laws for administrative integration of Chungnam-Daejeon and Jeonnam-Gwangju in the relevant committee before the Lunar New Year holiday.