Minho Choi Delivers Strong Criticism of Democratic Party Council Members
"Abusing Their Seats as a Weapon"
Minho Choi, Mayor of Sejong City, is covering his eyes with both hands during an interview with a reporter. Photo by Kiwon Kim, Chungcheong Coverage Headquarters
Minho Choi, Mayor of Sejong City, stated, with just over a year left in his term, "There is nowhere left to retreat. I will not back down, not even for the sake of the citizens."
On the 24th, Mayor Choi held a press conference and delivered these sharp remarks, targeting the Sejong City Council.
He voiced a direct criticism in response to Democratic Party council members cutting the budget for the light festival?which Sejong City ambitiously prepared and successfully held for the first time in 2023?for two consecutive years, despite its aim to revitalize the local economy.
Since last year, Democratic Party council members have sparked controversy by completely cutting local government funding for Mayor Choi's International Garden City Expo pledge project and the light festival initiative. At the time, Mayor Choi even went on a hunger strike to push the project forward, drawing nationwide attention.
This year as well, the entire light festival budget was cut during the supplementary budget review, causing outrage not only among public officials but also within parts of the civic community.
During the press conference, Mayor Choi strongly criticized the Democratic Party council members, saying, "I am fed up." He pointed out that the council, where Democratic Party members hold the majority, has been abusing its seats as a weapon, citing the two consecutive years of light festival budget cuts and the reduction of local government funding that was supposed to accompany the 7.7 billion won in national funding for last year's International Garden City Expo.
In particular, Mayor Choi also mentioned that he was denied the opportunity to speak at the plenary session of the council on the 23rd.
Regarding the so-called "mouth-covering" controversy in the council, Mayor Choi stated, "When I tried to respond after an urgent question about the installation of a data center in vacant commercial spaces, raised by Council Member Sunyeol Lee, Chairman Chaeseong Lim did not give me the opportunity."
He also took a firm stance against claims that he is an accomplice in insurrection along with former President Seokyeol Yoon, saying, "They are calling me an accomplice in insurrection. I will not tolerate this any longer. If it happens one more time, I will take legal action."
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