Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheolwoo Requests Government Mediation on TK Administrative Integration... Hong Joonpyo Declares It Failed

Lee Sangmin and Woo Donggi Urged to Mediate

Cheolwoo Lee, Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, announced on the 28th that he requested Minister of the Interior and Safety Sangmin Lee and Chairman of the Local Era Committee Donggi Woo to have the government prepare a mediation plan for the administrative system to resolve the Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration issue.

Regarding the Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration, North Gyeongsang Province insists on strengthening both the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special City and the city/county/district systems, while Daegu City argues for reducing the authority of cities and counties and concentrating power in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special City, making it difficult to reach a consensus.

Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province

Governor Lee told Minister Lee and Chairman Woo, "It is difficult for cities and counties in North Gyeongsang Province to accept Daegu City's proposal to reduce their authority, and there are concerns in Daegu City about the provincial government's proposal regarding the management of the metropolitan area. Since this is the first time such integration is being attempted, I ask the government to analyze the systems proposed by both sides and suggest a new administrative system as a mediation plan, rather than the current special or metropolitan city/province systems."

Governor Lee added, "The integration of cities and provinces is not just a path for Daegu-Gyeongbuk, but one that other regions will eventually have to take as well. Since the Ministry of the Interior and Safety launched a Future-Oriented Administrative System Reform Advisory Committee in May to study local administrative system reform, I hope a mediation plan for Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration will be prepared swiftly."

Meanwhile, Daegu Mayor Joonpyo Hong declared on the 27th that the push for Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration has effectively collapsed. Mayor Hong stated, "The temporary session of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council turned into a venue for criticism against me, and it is difficult to obtain the council's consent, so the administrative integration will be considered a long-term task."