Min Hyeong-bae, Mayor of Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, "Public institutions must be integrated within the year... if not, intervene."

On the 13th, Jeollanam-do and Gwangju Unified Special Mayor Min Hyeong-bae ordered the integration of public institutions within the year.

Mayor Min said this in his remarks at a meeting of public institution heads held at the Gwangju Government Complex on this day, saying, “If the integration had been carried out normally, I think it should have been concluded by now.”

He continued, “I would have listened to enough internal members, but it seems that there are people who are unable to make decisions due to their own interests.”

Mayor Min cited the example of Suncheon National University and Mokpo University, which failed to integrate, and emphasized, "If integration is not possible, the city government will have no choice but to intervene. Please somehow complete the process within the year."

He added, "Considering the timing of this historical moment where administrative integration and semiconductor mega projects are intertwined, please allow us to complete (institutional integration) within this year and start anew from the first work of the new year, if possible."

Mayor Min said, "Integration itself is not the goal. Please ensure that the organization operates properly during the integration process," and urged, "Public institutions must reorganize what kind of existence our institutions are for citizens and what we will prepare from the perspective of the integrated special city, not the existing perspective of Jeonnam and Gwangju."

The Unified City has decided to integrate 22 of the 41 former Gwangju and Jeonnam public institutions with similar or overlapping functions into 11 and is pursuing integration of each institution.

Among these, eight organizations have agreed on a method of integration, and an integrated ordinance is scheduled to be prepared and enacted within the year and the integrated organization launched early next year.

However, it is known that some organizations, such as the Women and Family Foundation, Techno Park, and the Social Service Institute, are experiencing difficulties due to differences of opinion over the surviving corporation and main office.