Special Law for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Includes 10 Exceptions to Encourage Foreign Residents

According to the Special Law for the Establishment of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, there are approximately 11 such special provisions for foreigners. This law, designed to ensure the successful establishment of Gwangju Special City as the first administrative integration of a metropolitan-level autonomous region, contains multiple exceptions aimed at attracting foreign residents and investment.

Support for foreign workers is a core focus. Article 327 of the special law stipulates “exceptions for improving living conditions and providing support for foreign workers.” The mayor of Gwangju Special City must develop and implement a five-year plan for supporting foreign workers, which includes investigating their working and housing conditions, as well as outlining measures for medical care and support for their children’s upbringing and education.

The Ministry of Justice may apply exceptions to address labor shortages in Gwangju Special City. These include extending the stay period and simplifying re-entry procedures for seasonal agricultural and fishery workers when necessary, as well as expanding region-specific visa quotas that allow them to engage in employment activities.

Attracting foreign investors and international students is also covered under support programs. Preferential cash subsidies may be provided in accordance with the Foreign Investment Promotion Act (Article 210), and foreign nationals without housing can be given special access to 10% of the privately built residential units in investment promotion zones (Article 214).

To enhance convenience for foreign investors, the law requires provision of foreign language services, such as accepting and processing official documents in foreign languages (Article 216). Article 342 of the special law outlines support for attracting international students to foster regional strategic industries. This includes providing various subsidies such as training grants linked to local employment, as well as funding for the construction and operation of residential and living facilities.

The upbringing and education of foreign children are also given special attention. Education administrators may establish and operate childcare centers or kindergartens specifically for foreign children (Article 312), and exceptions are provided for admission, transfer, and enrollment in gifted schools and special-purpose high schools (Articles 67 and 68).

Additionally, the law includes an exception that allows the establishment of international medical support centers in global medical tourism zones to support foreigners throughout their journey—from arrival and treatment to recovery, tourism, and departure—while also providing administrative convenience for issuing long-term visas for patients and their guardians (Article 397).

The rising number of foreigners in Jeonnam Province and Gwangju City is behind these exceptions. As of December 2025, there were 97,490 registered foreigners in Jeonnam Province and 4,528 in Gwangju City. A official from the task force emphasized that “Jeonnam Province and Gwangju City have the highest growth rate in registered foreigners among all regions over the past five years, and they also lead the nation in the proportion of foreign workers relative to registered foreigners.” The goal is to encourage stable residence and integration of foreign workers in agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, and shipbuilding industries.