▲ The parliamentary public administration and security committee reviews special bills on merging metropolitan cities and provinces during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 12, 2026. (Yonhap)

regional merger-bills

Nat'l Assembly likely to put regional merger bills to vote later this month

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly is likely to vote later this month on special bills to merge major cities and provinces into single administrative entities, in a move that would reshape the upcoming local elections in June.

The parliamentary public administration and security committee passed the merger bills during a plenary session Thursday, clearing the way for a floor vote at a full Assembly session.

The proposed legislation seeks to integrate Daegu with North Gyeongsang Province, Busan with South Gyeongsang Province, Gwangju with South Jeolla Province and Daejeon with South Chungcheong Province to establish integrated local governments.

The ruling Democratic Party, which holds a majority at the National Assembly, said earlier it will push to pass the bills by the end of February.

If approved by a majority vote at a plenary session later this month, the bills would pave the way for completing the regional mergers in time for the June 3 local elections to allow voters to elect the first governors of the newly integrated entities.

Under the proposal, a so-called integrated special city would be granted up to 20 trillion won (US$13.6 billion) over four years and double the number of deputy heads to four, with the positions elevated to vice ministerial rank.

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