Firm Response to Political Criticism of City Administration
Mayor Lee Highlights Bipartisan Efforts for Daejeon
Emphasizes Results-Driven Governance Amid Ongoing Attacks
Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon, stated, "During my time as a member of the National Assembly, I left the party and worked in a bipartisan manner for the benefit of the region." He added, "Whether it was the undergrounding of the Hongdo Overpass, the Daedong Knowledge Industry Center, or the construction of the Eastern Police Station, I did my utmost to support any initiative that would benefit Daejeon City, regardless of which party the mayor belonged to at the time."
He continued, "Damaging and obstructing city administration is not politics. Such politics will be thoroughly rejected by the citizens, and I will respond firmly going forward," signaling a strong stance against indiscriminate criticism of Daejeon City by certain politicians.
On September 2, during an expanded executive meeting, Mayor Lee reviewed the city's major achievements and future tasks, expressing strong regret over the continued disparaging remarks about city administration by some politicians.
The meeting was attended by the newly appointed Deputy Mayor, senior officials, and other executive public servants, who discussed key issues and the progress of policies across the city administration.
Mayor Lee noted, "In July, Daejeon's population increased by more than 1,400, marking a rebound after years of decline. This reflects improvements in the local economy, the availability of quality jobs, welfare, and education, all contributing to a better quality of life."
He further explained, "Rather than simply increasing the population, it is more important to maintain an appropriate scale as a city of 1.5 million and to prioritize policies that enhance quality of life."
He also emphasized the importance of proactive measures in response to recent disasters such as typhoons, wildfires, and floods.
Mayor Lee explained, "By dredging the three major rivers, we have removed sediment and strengthened disaster response capabilities. As a result, we maintain the lowest levels nationwide in the number of serious accidents, wildfires and fires, and child mortality rates."
He also expressed his intention to expand inspections for the prevention of serious accidents at small workplaces with fewer than 30 employees and to improve safe working environments.
He also called for revitalizing the local economy and promoting tourism through public-private cooperation.
Mayor Lee said, "Sales of Ggumssi Family merchandise surpassed 1.6 billion won from January to August, showing a positive response in the local character industry. We plan to infinitely expand the merchandise industry through collaboration with local universities, companies, and the tourism organization."
Despite Daejeon City receiving positive evaluations in various indicators such as being among the top nationwide for life satisfaction, experiencing population growth, maintaining the lowest disaster and fire incidence rates, and achieving strong results with merchandise products and local festivals, the mayor expressed his firm intention to respond to the continued disparaging remarks about city administration by some politicians.
Mayor Lee stated, "Some politicians continue to deny and distort the facts about Daejeon's various policies and achievements or criticize without basis. These are people who have learned politics the wrong way."
He added, "Politics should not be driven by emotion. We must seek administrative solutions and maintain a citizen-centered approach. Politicians should not avoid responsibility and must fulfill their roles."
Mayor Lee emphasized, "Distorting Daejeon's various policies and achievements also undermines the efforts of public officials. The more politics focuses solely on strife, the more we must dedicate ourselves to city administration and respond with results."
He strongly criticized, "In the past, when it came to securing budgets or reflecting national funds-issues that required cooperation at the National Assembly level-I personally contacted ministers and vice ministers to support Daejeon City. It is irresponsible for lazy politicians to just blame others. I have often thought that politicians need to learn politics properly when they are young."
He pointed out that the relocation of public institutions essentially requires a decision by the central government, and that Daejeon City is doing its utmost within its administrative scope, such as promoting the Chungcheong Mega Square and signing MOUs between public institutions relocating to innovation cities.
Emphasizing the need to clearly distinguish the roles of politics and administration, Mayor Lee said, "Politics is sometimes about conflict, but administration is about solutions. Citizens judge based on the results of administration rather than the words and actions of politicians. Therefore, politics must focus on cooperation, and administration must deliver results."
Daejeon City will continue to pursue practical administration based on objective data and the lives of citizens, remaining steadfast in the face of any attempts to politicize city administration.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
