Chungnam Provincial Council Holds Second Administrative Integration Meeting... "Passing Special Law and Resident Communication Are Key to Success"

Discussion on Plans for Resident Briefings and Strategies for Consultation with Central Government Ministries

The Chungnam Provincial Council's Special Committee on Administrative Integration of Chungnam and Daejeon held its second meeting on the 23rd to review the progress and pledged support for its success. Photo by Chungnam Provincial Council

The Chungnam Provincial Council's Special Committee on Administrative Integration of Chungnam and Daejeon announced that it held its second meeting on the afternoon of the 23rd, where it discussed comprehensive measures for the promotion of a special law on administrative integration and for building public consensus among residents.

During the second meeting of the special committee on administrative integration, following reports from relevant departments on their work and the progress of the initiative, the committee discussed a range of issues, including plans for holding resident briefings, the role of the provincial council, and strategies for consultation with central government ministries. This was followed by a Q&A session with various questions and answers from the committee members.

Shin Youngho, the committee chair (Seocheon 2, People Power Party), emphasized, "The Daejeon Integration Special Committee is actively conducting district-level briefings, and since the integration of Chungnam and Daejeon aligns with the government's '5 Megaregions and 3 Special Autonomous Provinces' policy direction, we should focus more on practical improvements and gathering residents' opinions rather than on debates for or against the integration. It is also necessary to consider practical issues such as government office operations."

Pyeon Sambum, committee member (Boryeong 2, People Power Party), stated, "When metropolitan-level integration occurs, educational autonomy is automatically integrated as well, and this is reflected in the special law. The key issues are adjustments to the education system and the application of special provisions after integration. Since there is insufficient detail regarding specific institutional improvements other than the method of electing the superintendent of education, further supplementation is needed in the future."

Ko Gwangcheol, committee member (Gongju 1, People Power Party), stressed, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments need to proceed swiftly so that integration can be achieved before the local elections. The ministry's recommendation to prioritize the integration of regions that were previously unified and then separated is positive, and the prompt enactment of the relevant legislation is necessary."

Kim Minsu, committee member (Proportional Representation, Democratic Party), pointed out, "The timeline for the initiative is rather tight, and if the resident briefings are held only as one-off events, it will be difficult to fully reflect the opinions of the provincial residents." He also argued, "Since the 257 special provisions will be reviewed one by one in the National Assembly, provisions with little practical benefit should be revised to reduce unnecessary controversy."

Yang Kyungmo, committee member (Cheonan 11, People Power Party), emphasized, "Passing the special law and communication with residents are key to success. To prevent the National Assembly's deliberations from turning into political strife, we must consolidate the opinions of the provincial residents to strengthen legitimacy, and effectively inform residents about the benefits of administrative streamlining and enhanced competitiveness through briefings."

Lee Yongguk, committee member (Seosan 2, People Power Party), said, "Resident briefings should not be merely formalities but should serve as genuine opportunities for persuasion. We must avoid failures due to lack of communication, as happened in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk case. It is necessary to communicate the advantages of integration, such as expanded administrative authority and improved infrastructure, and to take a careful approach that also embraces opposing views."

Bang Hanil, committee member (Yesan 1, People Power Party), pointed out, "The briefing materials for residents only highlight the expected benefits, while the disadvantages or potential problems of integration are not properly addressed. We need to honestly convey the negative factors as well to gain the trust and empathy of the residents."

He added, "It is also regrettable that efforts to persuade individual National Assembly members have been delayed, especially with the regular National Assembly session approaching. Even now, we must ensure that resident briefings are conducted thoroughly and simultaneously work to persuade National Assembly members."

Meanwhile, the Chungnam Provincial Council plans to actively support the 'city and county tour resident briefings,' which begin in Hongseong County on the 23rd. During the 360th extraordinary session, the council will also visit the Daejeon City Council to hold a meeting aimed at facilitating communication and cooperation for the smooth progress of administrative integration.