Ruling Party and TK Budget Talks... Hong Jun-pyo: "Special Law for New Airport Must Pass"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] On the 20th, the People Power Party held a Budget Policy Consultation Meeting (Yejunghyeop) with Daegu and Gyeongbuk and promised full legislative and budgetary support. Previously, Daegu and Gyeongbuk, as traditional strongholds of the conservative camp, gave President Yoon Seok-yeol over 70% support in this presidential election, but there were remarks that government support fell short of expectations.

Kwon Seong-dong, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, said at the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Yejunghyeop held at the National Assembly in the afternoon, "Daegu and Gyeongbuk are like the heart of the People Power Party," adding, "At least today, I will carefully review local issues with the mindset of being a Daegu-Gyeongbuk resident and ensure the necessary budget and projects are secured."

Regarding the construction of the integrated Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport, the region's biggest issue, he said, "It is the number one pledge of the two (Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, and Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk)," and added, "Since the enactment of the (New Airport) Special Act requires cooperation from the ruling Democratic Party, I will closely cooperate and communicate with the opposition party as well."

Furthermore, Acting Leader Kwon promised support for the Daegu National Robot Test Field project, the establishment of the Medi Valley Startup Support Center, and the Geumho River waterfront development project. He continued, "Gyeongsangbuk-do is the largest nuclear power plant cluster in the country," and said, "Due to the excessive nuclear phase-out policy of the previous Moon Jae-in administration, the regional economy suffered a great blow. Therefore, we will create a next-generation clean energy belt in Gyeongbuk to contribute to job creation and regional economic revitalization."

Mayor Hong expressed his determination regarding the new airport construction. He said, "The most important thing is to promptly start and build the TK New Airport as a central airport for the central-southern region," emphasizing, "The passage of the Special Act will shorten legal and administrative procedures by more than three years. Without it, it will be difficult to start construction within my term."

Mayor Hong added, "If Assemblyman Lee Jae-myung becomes the (Democratic Party) leader, he will not be able to oppose this bill," and said, "He (Lee) mentioned it more than ten times during his presidential candidacy. He promised to build the airport in the Hong Jun-pyo style, and that was a Democratic Party presidential pledge." He continued, "When the Gadeok New Airport was passed, I was the only TK lawmaker who supported it," and said, "At that time, the media called me a traitor in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, but I did it to argue why Busan was supported but Daegu was not."

Governor Lee said, "There are talks that the Yoon Seok-yeol government was established in the region but is an empty cart again. In the past, presidents came from our region, but we were an empty cart," adding, "We have endured enough, and if we endure more, it will be about to burst."

He then said, "The floor leader should overwhelmingly say, 'Give them everything they want,'" and emphasized, "I think political resolution is necessary, and since the president said he would repay the favor, we have expectations, but if those expectations are dashed, the backlash will be tremendous."

Meanwhile, at the end of the meeting, Mayor Hong attracted attention by directly asking Acting Leader Kwon, "Will you run for party leader next year?" When reporters asked about the background of the question after the meeting, Mayor Hong replied, "I said, 'If you plan to be party leader next year, please do well in Daegu and Gyeongbuk,'" adding, "That is where the largest group of party members is."