Park Junghyun, Mayor of Buyeo, Says "Innovation City Act Causes Conflict and Imbalance Among Local Cities"

At the Chungnam Local Government Meeting: "Non-Innovative Cities Have No Opportunity to Attract Public Institutions"

Park Junghyun Buyeo County Governor

Park Jeong-hyun, the governor of Buyeo County in South Chungcheong Province, has called for an amendment to the “Special Act on the Establishment and Development of Innovation Cities” (Innovation City Act), which mandates the relocation of public institutions from the Seoul metropolitan area to innovation cities.

At a South Chungcheong provincial government meeting held on the 31st of last month, Governor Park stated, “The current Innovation City Act holds back non-innovation cities, leaving places like Buyeo County with no opportunity to attract public institutions.”

He continued, “The current law, which restricts relocation to innovation cities, contradicts the policy intent of balanced regional development. It causes conflicts and imbalances among local cities and fails to consider the reality of non-innovation local governments facing the risk of regional extinction.”

He further emphasized, “The second phase of relocating public institutions from the metropolitan area should not be limited to innovation cities. It must be carried out fairly, taking into active account the environment and characteristics of regions that many local governments can relate to.”

He added, “Every local government expects to overcome the crisis of population decline and achieve sustainable development by attracting public institutions. The focus should be on ‘substantial balance’ based on regional characteristics.”