Kim Deokbae, Chairperson of Hongseong County Council, Proposes Resolution
"No Progress Made in Four Years Since Designation"
The proposal urging the relocation of public institutions to Chungnam Innovation City, put forward by Kim Deokbae, chairman of the Hongseong County Council, was unanimously adopted by the Chungnam City and County Council Chairpersons Association.
A resolution urging the substantial completion of the Chungnam Innovation City and the prompt relocation of public institutions was unanimously adopted at the 130th regular meeting of the Chungcheongnam-do City and County Council Chairpersons' Association.
The resolution, proposed by Kim Deokbae, Chairperson of the Hongseong County Council in Chungnam, calls for the swift progress of the stagnant innovation city project and the relocation of public institutions following the government's designation of the innovation city. It was unanimously adopted at the Chungnam City and County Council Chairpersons' Association held in Gyeryong City on the 11th.
The Chungnam City and County Council Chairpersons' Association plans to submit this agenda item at the upcoming meeting of the Korea City, County, and District Council Chairpersons' Association scheduled for May, ensuring its adoption and urging the government to take action.
The resolution highlights the issue that, even after four years since the designation of Chungnam Innovation City, not a single public institution has been relocated, and it urges the government to promptly establish and implement a relocation plan for public institutions.
In the resolution, Chairperson Kim stated, "Chungnam is the only region that was excluded from the first round of public institution relocations and has still not been able to fulfill the original functions of an innovation city," adding, "The relocation of public institutions to Chungnam Innovation City is not merely a local demand but a matter of achieving national balanced development and restoring fairness, making it a time to build nationwide solidarity."
He further emphasized the need for the prompt relocation of public institutions to Chungnam Innovation City, the establishment of a systematic support system at the government level, and the designation of Chungnam as the top-priority location for public institution relocation.
Chungnam Innovation City is an administrative and cultural complex city designated for development in Naepo New Town, centered around the Chungnam Provincial Government Office, covering Hongbuk-eup in Hongseong County and Sapgyo-eup in Yesan County.
However, despite the expectations of Chungnam residents, since its designation in 2020, not a single public institution has actually been relocated to Chungnam Innovation City, leading to criticism that it is an "innovation city in name only" and causing disappointment among local residents.
Hongseong County, Yesan County, and Chungcheongnam-do have carried out various activities to attract and relocate public institutions since the government's designation of Chungnam Innovation City, including securing sites, enacting and amending relevant ordinances, developing attraction strategies, and visiting target public institutions.
Chungcheongnam-do, Hongseong County, and Yesan County plan to continue various activities to ensure that Chungnam is granted priority selection rights (draft system) when the government announces its second round of public institution relocation plans in the future.
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