'Why Did the Establishment of Gyeonggi Bukdo Fail?'… An Byeong-yong, Mayor of Uijeongbu, Bluntly Criticizes, "Because of Former Governors' Presidential Ambitions"

"Former Governors Obsessed with Presidency Using Gyeonggi Governorship as Stepping Stone... Division Theory Taboo"
"Im Chang-yeol and Sohn Hak-kyu, Who Told Not to Talk About Division, Regret Most Not Establishing Gyeonggi Bukdo"

An Byeong-yong, mayor of Uijeongbu, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the "Policy Forum for the Establishment of the Special Autonomous Province of Northern Gyeonggi" held at the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office on the 24th. [Gyeonggi Province]

[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] As interest among Gyeonggi Province residents grows regarding the establishment of 'Gyeonggi Bukdo'?one of the major election pledges of Kim Dong-yeon, the governor-elect of Gyeonggi Province?An Byeong-yong, mayor of Uijeongbu City, sharply criticized, saying, "The repeated failure of Gyeonggi Province's division was due to past governors using the governorship as a stepping stone to presidential ambitions."

In particular, addressing Kim Dong-yeon, who co-hosted the 'Policy Forum for the Establishment of Gyeonggi Bukbu Special Autonomous Province,' An said, "I don't know with what intention the forum was held, but it was really well done," emphasizing, "Even if you don't serve as governor again, as a leader, you should break free from that (presidential ambition), and if it is right, you must proceed."

In a congratulatory speech ahead of the 'Policy Forum for the Establishment of Gyeonggi Bukbu Special Autonomous Province' held at the Northern Office of Gyeonggi Provincial Government on the 24th, Mayor An stated, "If it is a solemn order from the residents and the people, and there is agreement and consent that it must be followed, it is simpler than expected."

By publicly mentioning the majority of past governors who reversed their stance on the 'division of Gyeonggi Province' after the election despite promising it beforehand, there is an interpretation that this is intended to place political pressure on Kim Dong-yeon, who is considered a potential future presidential candidate, to fulfill his pledge.

Mayor An repeatedly emphasized that the biggest obstacle to promoting the 'division of Gyeonggi Province' was the past governors of Gyeonggi Province.

He pointed out, "Lee In-je, the first elected governor of Gyeonggi Province, said it would be decided by the judgment of residents in northern Gyeonggi, but he did not proceed with the division."

He added, "I was an administrative science professor 32 years ago, and the second governor, Lim Chang-ryeol, gave me money to write a thesis about northern Gyeonggi, so I wrote the first thesis and worked together to promote it, but the division was never carried out."

Mayor An said, "The third governor, Sohn Hak-kyu, would raise his voice loudly whenever the division was mentioned, and Governor Kim Moon-soo also caused a fuss, saying it would be done at an appropriate time by the residents, but ultimately, it was not done."

He also testified, "Governor Nam Kyung-pil called himself 'Buk Kyung-pil' but neither proceeded nor abandoned the division, and Lee Jae-myung, who called me 'older brother,' asked me not to talk about Bukdo during the 12 years I served as Uijeongbu mayor, even though he talked about everything else."

Then he criticized, "All past governors of Gyeonggi Province could not empty their minds because they wanted to become president," and added, "As a result, those who wanted to become president regarded their vested interests as a stepping stone to the presidency and thus tabooed the topic of division."

Mayor An continued, "I asked those I had connections with before or those I served closely after they became governors to tell me just one thing they regretted, and both Governor Lim Chang-ryeol and Governor Sohn Hak-kyu said that they held press conferences in northern Gyeonggi and considered Gyeonggi Bukdo, but not being able to carry it out was their biggest regret."

Mayor An concluded his congratulatory speech by saying, "If there is a mindset that blocks progress due to obsession with (the presidency), residents and the people know it, and it will be neither here nor there, and the leaders here must keep in mind that it will lead to nothing, not even the presidency," adding, "Our dream will definitely come true."

Meanwhile, the 'Policy Forum for the Establishment of Gyeonggi Bukbu Special Autonomous Province' was jointly hosted by the Transition Committee (Special Committee) for the 8th Gyeonggi Province Governor, Kim Seong-won (Dongducheon·Yeoncheon) of the People Power Party, Kim Min-cheol (Uijeongbu Eul) of the Democratic Party, and the Korean Local Autonomy Association as a catalyst to ignite the stalled discussion on the establishment of 'Gyeonggi Bukdo.'

The 'Gyeonggi Province division theory,' which proposes creating a new metropolitan autonomous entity by grouping 11 areas including 10 cities and counties in northern Gyeonggi and Gimpo City, has been discussed since the 1987 presidential election.

However, the division of Gyeonggi Province has been stalled for over 30 years due to opposition arguing that separating the northern region?which has different living zones and many regulations?from southern Gyeonggi would increase disparities in finances and other areas, resulting in no practical benefits.