President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday vowed efforts to decentralize state powers, saying he wants local municipalities and provinces to be run more autonomously “like in federalism.”

“During the election campaign season, I vowed to build a decentralized state which comes close to a federal system,” Moon said at a meeting with the heads of 17 municipalities and provincial governments at the presidential office in Seoul.

“For this, I plan to prepare the constitutional grounds for ‘the secondary Cabinet meeting’ when revising the Constitution next year,” the liberal president said, pledging to establish a regular meeting with local government chiefs.

The idea of holding a regular meeting with local government heads in a Cabinet meeting format was a pledge previously suggested by South Chungcheong Gov. An Hee-jung during the primary season.

Upon winning his candidacy for the Democratic Party of Korea, Moon pledged to realize this administrative vision on behalf of his former rival.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Moon asked mayors and governors for their help in passing the pending supplementary budget bill, stressing that the fiscal plan would improve the labor environment in provinces.

The central government last week submitted a bill to draw up an extra budget of 11.2 trillion won ($99.5 billion) aimed at creating some 810,000 new jobs in the public sector.

But despite the president’s determined gestures, including his parliamentary address Monday, the budget plan currently remains in deadlock due to the majority opposition’s resistance.

“Should the extra budget be arranged, 3.5 trillion won ($3.1 billion) is to be delivered to local governments in the form of local subsidies,” Moon said, requesting mayors and governors allocate the sum to job creation.

“It is not within my authority to interfere (in the financial operation of local governments) but I ask you to consider the purpose of the extra budget, which is to create as many jobs as possible and overcome the employment cliff faced by youths.”

Among the 17 mayors and provincial governors present, the South Jeolla governor and South Gyeongsang governor posts were filled by acting officials. The two posts are currently vacant as former South Jeolla Gov. Lee Nak-yon was appointed as prime minister and former South Gyeongsang Gov. Hong Joon-pyo resigned in April to run in the presidential election in May.

Attending the day’s meeting on behalf of the Cabinet and the presidential secretariat were Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Kim Dong-yeon, Interior Minister Hong Yun-sik, and presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok and presidential chief of staff for policy Jang Ha-sung.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)