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President Lee says balanced regional development key to sustainable growth, pushes 'five hub' strategy

Published: 08 Dec. 2025, 18:33

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

President Lee Jae Myung speaks on his administration’s strategy to build five regional hubs and three special self-governing provinces during a policy briefing from the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Dec. 8. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Lee Jae Myung underscored Monday that balanced regional development is essential for Korea's sustainable development, promising decentralization through its strategy to build five regional mega hubs to prompt new growth engines.

"Decentralization, balanced development and strengthening autonomy have become inevitable national survival strategies for the sustainable growth of Korea," Lee said during the meeting with the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul.

He noted that historically, Korea has pursued a growth strategy through a "unipolar system" centered on the Seoul metropolitan area, which has achieved significant results, but that "recently, the concentration in the metropolitan area has been excessively strengthened, reaching a point where it is actually undermining the growth potential."

Lee stressed that the "biggest challenge facing our society today is restoring growth" and that, going forward, it is time to "secure new growth momentum by creating a multipolar system" centered on a decentralization strategy comprising five regional mega hubs and three special self-governing provinces.

The five regional hubs are: the metropolitan area comprised of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi; the Daegu and North Gyeongsang area; the southeast Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang area; the central Sejong, Daejeon and the Chungcheong region; and the southwest Honam region, encompassing Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces. The three special self-governing provinces are Jeju, Gangwon and North Jeolla.

Lee noted that if the current concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area continues, "inefficiency will eventually become unmanageable."

President Lee Jae Myung, right, listens as he receives a policy briefing from Kim Kyoung-soo, chair of the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development, at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Dec. 8. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The presidential committee, chaired by Kim Kyoung-soo, a former South Gyeongsang governor, briefed Lee on ways to implement a tailored development strategy based on the five mega hub plan.
Kim said that the most crucial task lies in "revitalizing the local economy," which he said can be done through developing "strategic industries and growth engines through investment by large corporations in each region."

He noted that concluding a Korea-U.S. trade deal, and major corporations pledging to invest some 1.4 quadrillion won ($953 billion), "will serve as a catalyst for balanced growth in the five major hubs and three special-governing provinces."

Kim said that "this is the time for a balanced growth deal" where "companies invest in nonmetropolitan areas, and the government provides them with unparalleled support."

He then called to encourage companies to invest in local areas through a growth package enabling personnel development, deregulation of research and development, fiscal and tax incentives and funding support.

"Compared to large countries, a one- or two-hour high-speed rail journey isn't that far," Lee said.

"However, for those outside of the metropolitan area, everything else feels distant," he added, calling to "create new opportunities" in the other regions.

The presidential office said in a statement that it will work toward reflecting the feedback to "ensure that regions can become new growth engines, fostering industry and future strategies through robust local autonomy and strong balanced growth."

On Sunday, senior presidential aides gave a press briefing to mark six months into the Lee administration.

Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, stressed during the briefing that he will work toward carrying out the president's national agenda next year "by integrating key tasks into a single policy: revitalizing the economy, supporting people's livelihoods, revitalizing our country's regions, expanding our industrial base and paving the way in technology."

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]