President Moon Jae-in called for additional efforts to give more power to rural and district governments Thursday, insisting the central government alone cannot guarantee the future of the entire nation.

"The Republic of Korea has been growing rapidly until now thanks to the joint efforts of the entire population. The centralized management of state affairs had certain merits during the era of rapid development. But now we live in an era when centralized power can no longer generate the driving force for growth," the president said.

The remarks came in a meeting with the heads of the 17 key provincial and municipal governments, including Seoul and Busan. The meeting, held in Yeosu, 455 kilometers south of Seoul, was the second of its kind since Moon took office in May.

Transferring more power to local autonomous governments was a key election pledge of the new president, who also renewed his pledge to amend the Constitution to that end.

"I am confident you will lend your support to our efforts for a Constitutional amendment that will legally guarantee decentralization of power. I believe local autonomy and decentralization are what the people have ordered us to achieve and (such moves) will be in line with the spirit of this age," he said, according to pool reports.

The president noted decentralization of power would mean more control, as well as greater finances, for local governments.

"The government is moving to drastically transfer its centralized power to local governments. It seeks to fundamentally strengthen the autonomy of local government by transferring a great amount of power and (control of) organizations," the president told the meeting.

"Also, the government will come up with ways to expand local government finances," he added.

Moon also called for the delegation of power to local residents.

"Now, autonomy and decentralization are the new engines of growth for the country," the president said. "The people's lives can leap forward when they take part directly in discussing and addressing the issues that affect their own lives."

In a later speech marking the day of local autonomy, the president explained the government sought to increase the distribution ratio of taxes between the central and local governments to 6 to 4 from the current 7 to 3.

Also the proposed constitutional revision, if made, will allow local governments to legislate new laws, as well as come up with their own welfare programs, he noted.

"We will constitutionalize the four autonomous powers of local governments -- independent and autonomous legislation, administration, finances and welfare."

The official title of the local governing entities will also be changed to local governments instead of local autonomous bodies, he added.

The president also vowed additional efforts to develop rural areas.

"The capital region must not be left alone as a black hole that sucks in all the people and money," he said. "The government will further step up its efforts to bring the balanced development of the nation to a higher level." (Yonhap)