[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Yang Seung-jo, Governor of Chungnam Province, declared his candidacy for the presidential election on the 12th, stating, "I will definitely open a country strong in its regions and a balanced Republic of Korea." This is the second declaration of candidacy within the ruling party following Park Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who announced his run on the 9th.
At the declaration ceremony held at the Local Autonomy Hall in Sejong City on the morning of the same day, Governor Yang said, "The local areas of the Republic of Korea are also the Republic of Korea. We must revive the regions and create a Republic of Korea where everyone lives well together through balanced development."
He emphasized, "We need to establish solutions for local decentralization and balanced development, as dreamed by Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun," adding, "I will achieve national balanced development through strengthening regulations on the metropolitan area and fiscal decentralization."
To this end, he also announced plans to adjust the ratio of national tax to local tax to 6:4 and complete the administrative capital by relocating the National Assembly and the Blue House.
In his candidacy declaration, Governor Yang diagnosed the three major crises facing the Republic of Korea as social polarization, low birthrate, and aging population. As part of his presidential vision, he stated, "I will transform the structure so that the state takes responsibility for the basic costs necessary for essential living such as housing, education, and healthcare," and added, "I will create a Korea that is good for raising children through youth jobs, youth housing, and free education."
He continued, "I served four terms as a member of the National Assembly in Cheonan, Chungnam, a Democratic Party stronghold, under the name of the Democratic Party, and based on this, I also served as Secretary-General and Supreme Council Member," adding, "The Democratic Party and Chungcheong raised me. Now, based on the tradition and pride of the Democratic Party, I will become a presidential candidate who legitimately continues the history of Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in."
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