Lee Sunhee, a member of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council (People Power Party, Cheongdo), raised various local issues during the 347th regular session of the provincial government inquiry held on the 10th. The topics included the Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration, improvements in the operation and management of park golf courses, excessive penalties related to local allocation tax, improvement of aging sewage facilities, and fostering specialized manpower linked to vocational high schools and local strategic industries.
Lee stated, "First, public interest in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration is increasing," and pointed out that although administrative integration has been promoted as a key strategic measure for the region's leap forward since the 7th popularly elected administration, the initiative faced difficulties after Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo of the 8th administration expressed opposition upon taking office."
Lee continued by asking about "the detailed circumstances and the discussion process with North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheolwoo that led to the renewed push for administrative integration since May this year, contrary to the previous stance."
Lee also emphasized that "integration of public opinion should come first, rather than administrative integration being pursued without the opinions of residents and the provincial council," and called for the integration to proceed while preserving North Gyeongsang's identity and the pride of its residents. Furthermore, she reiterated that a careful approach reflecting residents' opinions is essential for the successful realization of administrative integration.
She then pointed out the lack of provincial-level policies regarding park golf, which is rapidly spreading nationwide. Of the 58 public park golf courses in the province, 16 are facing various licensing and approval issues, and the indiscriminate operation of private park golf courses is also becoming a problem.
Lee requested the governor to "prepare concrete plans and measures to strengthen the transparency and accountability of park golf course operations in the province before it is too late, as the number of park golf enthusiasts is exploding." She also urged the development of strategies to vitalize the local economy by fostering 'sponomics'?connecting sports like park golf with tourism activities such as accommodation, dining, and shopping.
Lee then addressed the issue of excessive penalties due to insufficient efforts to increase revenue, given the province's high dependence on allocation tax. She pointed out that North Gyeongsang ranked 7th out of 8 similar metropolitan provinces after receiving a penalty of 15.348 billion KRW in the revenue expansion effort evaluation for this year's allocation tax calculation, and called for clear fiscal management policies and improvement efforts at the provincial level.
She also stressed the need for a strategic approach to maximize allocation tax incentives and minimize penalties, and insisted that North Gyeongsang should establish concrete measures for systematic budget execution to enhance the efficiency of fiscal management.
Lee pointed out the urgent need for North Gyeongsang to prepare for the improvement of aging sewage facilities. She specifically mentioned that Cheongdo-gun ranked lowest nationwide in the 2023 public sewage management evaluation, explaining that most sewage treatment facility problems stem from aging infrastructure. She emphasized that massive budgets will be required for the repair and improvement of aging sewage facilities in the province, and that provincial-level support is necessary for local governments with low fiscal independence.
Furthermore, she highlighted that improving sewage facilities is a key issue that can enhance residents' living environments and contribute to regional development. She asked the governor about his commitment to expanding national and provincial support and urged the provincial government to prepare active measures.
Finally, Lee pointed out that the linkage between local strategic industries and vocational high schools in North Gyeongsang is weak, resulting in insufficient development of specialized manpower and a high rate of employment outside the province. She emphasized the need to create an environment where students can learn and find jobs locally through the connection of vocational high schools and strategic industries in each city and county, and called for an active role by the provincial office of education.
She also suggested that expanding the development of specialized manpower in cooperation with local companies should be promoted to vitalize the regional economy, and stressed the need to establish a system where vocational high school students can find employment within the region and contribute to the development of local industries.
Lee Sunhee expressed her hope that the various discussions on local issues raised during this provincial government inquiry will serve as a vital foundation for illuminating the future of North Gyeongsang by preventing local extinction and achieving balanced development, and asked for the interest and support of the residents.
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