Seoul: In a significant move toward regional consolidation, Daegu, a metropolitan city in southeastern South Korea, and the adjacent North Gyeongsang Province have formally agreed to merge and form a new special city by July 2026. The new entity, to be known as Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special City, will hold a legal status equivalent to that of Seoul, aiming to enhance balanced development and decentralization.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the agreement was finalized in a meeting involving key regional and national officials including Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, North Gyeongsang Gov. Lee Cheol-woo, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and Woo Dong-gi, chairman of the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development. This decision follows a series of negotiations and planning phases that began early this year, with a road map laid out in June.
The creation of Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special City is a strategic move to pool resources and administrative capabilities of both regions. The new
city will utilize existing infrastructure such as the city office buildings in Daegu, Andong, and Pohang for its administrative operations. It is tasked with the development and execution of comprehensive plans for economic growth, industrial advancement, and metropolitan governance.
This merger is part of a broader push by the South Korean government to promote regional growth and reduce the developmental disparity between the capital region and other areas. The integration plan, which first saw discussions falter in August, gained momentum after mediation from the interior ministry and the presidential committee, leading to this landmark agreement.