Pohang Mayor Kangdeok Lee: "Administrative Integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Bought with Money Abandons the Value of Democracy"

Kangdeok Lee, Mayor of Pohang, who is expected to run for Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, made his opposition to the administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang clear on January 20, stating, "Administrative integration bought with money is an abandonment of the true values of democracy and local autonomy."

On this day, Mayor Lee wrote on Facebook, "The government says it will provide a massive 5 trillion won annually, up to a total of 20 trillion won over four years, to the special administrative city. But we must ask ourselves honestly: Whose pockets will this enormous sum ultimately come from? Currently, all local governments manage their finances with a portion of national taxes they receive as 'local allocation tax.' Most basic local governments outside the metropolitan area depend on this allocation tax for their survival," he said.

Kangdeok Lee, Mayor of Pohang

He continued, "Just as one side of a balloon expands while the other contracts, pouring huge sums into a specific integrated city without measures to increase the overall tax base is no different from taking away the 'survival candy' of local governments nationwide just to make a show. We must not deceive the public by showing off with money from basic local governments that are already worried about local extinction," he argued.

Mayor Lee also stated, "What practical benefit does giving the integrated city mayor and provincial governor presidential-level authority over personnel and budgets bring to local residents? Concentrating power could easily end up enriching only the central areas while further marginalizing the outskirts," he said firmly.

He added, "Large-scale SOC projects like the new airport can be sufficiently pursued without integration, through separate special laws and financial structures. To present this as an inevitable effect of administrative integration lacks logical persuasiveness."

Mayor Kangdeok Lee emphasized, "Above all, the most concerning issue is the manner in which this is being pushed forward. For such a critical issue that will change the future of the region, a top-down approach without sufficient consent or consensus from city and provincial residents can never be justified. Rather than being sweet talk ahead of local elections, we need more thorough and sustainable deliberation for our future," adding, "The current discussions on local government integration, which are proceeding without including the voices of residents, are deeply concerning."