통일시대를 대비한 접경지역 시군통합의 필요성과 기대효과

Consolidating Local Governments in the Bordering Area for a Korea Reunification Era

The establishment of joint industrial complexes and reunification admistration capital will be discussed as the relationship of South and North Korea improves. The candidate locations could be in the military bordering area - Pocehon, Yeonchon, and Cherwon - which may have the highest possibility. This region is considered as the most ideal consolidation objects in that they share historic and geopolitical characteristics and can guarantee reciprocal developments through the integration. Based on the related acts, Special Act to Support Military Bordering Area and Special Act of Local Decentralization and Local Government System Reform, the three local governments need to be merged to be a self-supporting and competitive political body which can prepare for Korea reunification. However, the three local governments now undergo underdevelopment and various regulations. In particular, Pocheon and Yeonchon are uniquely experiencing a decrease of populations in Gyeonggido which belongs legally to capital area. Cherwon also shows the lowest development in Gangwondo, although it is not a local government of the capital area. Therefore, after the consolidation, they need to be a member of Gangwondo, not Gyeonggido, to receive policy and financial assistances from central government as a provincial local government, through which they can promote the investment attraction.