"Administrative Integration Promotion Overstated"
Daegu City Council, Administrative Audit
The Planning and Administration Committee of the Daegu Metropolitan Council (Chairperson Yoon Young-ae) pointed out issues and suggested improvement measures after reviewing the entire process of administrative integration promotion, including the special administrative integration bill and the administrative integration agreement, during the administrative audit conducted on the morning of the 11th at the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Promotion Team.
Yoon Young-ae (People Power Party·Nam-gu 2) criticized the joint agreement dated October 4 as merely a temporary measure that postponed fundamentally conflicting issues to a later time, expressing concerns about future administrative burdens.
Ryu Jong-woo (People Power Party·Buk-gu 1) pointed out the exaggerated promotion that assumed the special bill would pass in its original form as a fait accompli in the administrative integration publicity and requested administrative guidance on this matter. He also requested a review of the differences and feasibility of development plans for the northern Gyeongbuk region proposed by Daegu and Gyeongbuk, urging the preparation of practical measures.
Kim Won-kyu (People Power Party·Dalseong 2) criticized the residents' briefings in Gyeongbuk as formalities and pointed out the inadequate explanation of the pros and cons of the integration. At the same time, he noted that the special integration bill being prepared for submission to the National Assembly focuses only on securing the special mayor’s authority and privileges, highlighting the lack of checks and balances on the expanded powers and insufficient provisions related to local councils, and demanded supplementation.
Kim Dae-hyun (People Power Party·Seo-gu 1) criticized the expected effects of administrative integration as unrealistic forecasts that do not consider the same special privilege demands from other regions in the future. Regarding the residents' referendum, he mentioned that it can serve both as a means to gather local opinions and secure legitimacy, as well as promote the referendum to residents during the process, thus having value beyond the costs incurred.
Kim said, “Wouldn’t a residents' referendum be necessary for the passage of the TK administrative integration special law in the National Assembly? I hope the possibility of a referendum is not excluded,” and asked, “If a residents' referendum situation arises in Gyeongbuk Province, what will Daegu do?”
Yuk Jeong-mi (Democratic Party·Proportional Representation) compared past cases of administrative integration that were reversed multiple times and criticized the current promotion approach as being close to a top-down imposition from the political sphere. She also criticized the administrative promotion and organizational structural waste proceeding in a way that reverses cause and effect based on integration results that may not even be properly achieved.
Lee Seong-oh (People Power Party·Suseong 3) reviewed the overall progress of the integration procedures, including Daegu’s public opinion survey, Gyeongbuk’s residents' briefings, and the provincial council’s consent to the bill, and called for an objective public opinion survey and substantial progress in reaching an agreement with Gyeongbuk.
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