Kim Jaewon of People Power Party: "Daegu-Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Too Hasty... Hold Resident Referendum at Local Election, Elect Integrated Head at General Election"

Promoting Integration Centered on North Gyeongsang Province
Press Conference Held at People Power Party North Gyeongsang Office

Kim Jaewon (62), Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party and a likely candidate for Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, stated on January 22, "If the administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province is pushed forward too hastily, it will leave lingering side effects." He proposed, "During the upcoming local elections in June, we should hold a resident referendum on whether to support the integration, and elect the head of the integrated entity through a vote during the general elections two years later."

At a press conference held at 3 p.m. at the People Power Party's North Gyeongsang Provincial Office in Beomeo-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu, Kim said, "Kim Jeonggi, the acting mayor of Daegu, who is an appointed official and thus lacks democratic legitimacy, and Lee Cheolwoo, the Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, are unilaterally pushing for administrative integration based on the 'integration first, consultation later' principle." He added, "If administrative integration proceeds in this manner, there will be significant backlash, especially from the northern region of North Gyeongsang Province, and the side effects will not be minor."

Jaewon Kim, Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party

Kim further explained, "It seems difficult to complete the administrative integration and elect the head of the integrated entity by the upcoming local elections in June, given the time constraints." He suggested, "For this local election, let's hold a resident referendum, and then, during the general elections two years later, elect the head of the integrated entity at the same time as the parliamentary elections."

Kim also pointed out, "If Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province are administratively integrated, the northern region of North Gyeongsang Province will suffer considerable damage. The region will become even more underdeveloped, and issues such as vacant commercial spaces and population decline in the new city where the provincial government office is located could worsen." He emphasized, "The administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province should be promoted with a focus on the northern region, and after the integration, the current provincial government office building should be used as the integrated government office."

Kim Jaewon passed both the higher civil service examination and the bar exam, and worked at the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, among other places. After entering politics, he served three terms as a National Assembly member and as Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs. Having served as Supreme Council Member four times, he has even earned the nickname "Supreme Council Member by profession."