Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integration Fails... Hong Joon-pyo "Regret Late Obstruction" (Comprehensive)

"Also Abolished, Model for Transition to Special Metropolitan City System"
"Regrettable That Integration Has Become a Long-Term Task"

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu
Photo by Yonhap News

Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, raised his voice regarding the failure of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration, saying, "It is a model that abolishes the province and transitions to a special metropolitan city system, but they are obstructing it belatedly."

On the 31st, Mayor Hong explained through his Facebook, "The integration model previously discussed by former Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin and Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo was a province-centered integration model placing Daegu Special City within the Gyeongbuk Special Self-Governing Province. The model we are currently promoting abolishes the supporting institution, the province, and transitions to an executive institution called Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special City."

He added, "It is an administrative model that abolishes the province and transitions to a special metropolitan city system. It is truly regrettable that after agreeing on the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Special City without recognizing this, they are now obstructing it belatedly. Although it is unfortunate that integration has been postponed as a long-term task, we can only be satisfied that a new model of local administrative reform has been proposed."

Earlier, on the 27th, Mayor Hong announced the failure of the administrative integration discussion on Facebook, stating, "I am deeply disappointed that the TK integration local administrative reform discussion has failed like this." Since then, he has posted related messages almost daily on Facebook expressing regret. On the 28th, Mayor Hong said, "The Gyeongbuk Provincial Council can reconsider when there are no dissenting opinions, but we do not have time to wait," adding, "Some say it was rushed, but the TK integration has been discussed for the past three years. I am deeply disappointed that the TK integration local administrative reform discussion has failed like this."

On the 29th, Mayor Hong posted again, saying, "Daegu and Gyeongbuk had united to become not just one of the three major cities on the Korean Peninsula but to stand tall as the second-largest city comparable to Seoul Special City, but it was regrettably canceled," and "I apologize once again to the citizens of Daegu and Gyeongbuk who hoped for the rise of Daegu-Gyeongbuk as the second-largest city on the Korean Peninsula through integration." He continued, "I will devote all my efforts to completing 100 innovations for Daegu City."