Lee Jangwoo Opposes "Hollow Integration"...Says Referendum on Administrative Integration Must Be Held

"Holding a referendum demanded by the majority of citizens...a procedure essential for directly confirming public opinion"

"High-level autonomy, fiscal authority, and public debate must be guaranteed as preconditions"

Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon (Photo by Daejeon City)

Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon, stated, "I oppose a 'hollow integration' that excludes the transfer of substantial autonomy and fiscal authority," and argued that "a referendum on promoting administrative integration must be held, as demanded by the majority of citizens."

At the weekly work meeting he chaired on the 23rd, the Mayor made this remark, clearly stating that the integration of Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province must be preceded by "sufficient discussion to secure citizen acceptance."

His point is that once a bill is introduced in the National Assembly, a "thorough process of deliberation and public debate" is necessary, but since the integration is being pushed forward as a rushed and "hollow" administrative integration law without such procedures, it is necessary "to listen to public opinion on the changed legislative environment."

The ruling party's proposed integration bill differs significantly from the essence of the integration that the two heads of the Daejeon Metropolitan City and South Chungcheong Provincial governments had pursued, and he believes that, as mayor, he cannot simply overlook the growing substantive demand for a referendum and the opinions of citizens.

Photo by Daejeon City

The Mayor said, "Some people are asking why I now oppose integration when I previously said Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province should be integrated, but I am, of course, in principle in favor of administrative integration," adding, "However, certain preconditions must first be met."

The preconditions are: securing a decentralized local governance structure capable of countering the Seoul metropolitan area-centered system; legal guarantees for powers over finance, organization, personnel, and projects; and forming sufficient consensus among citizens and public officials.

The Mayor argued, "Dismissing these demands for substantive progress on the preconditions as mere opposition rhetoric distorts the essence of the issue."

He went on to say, "A 'hollow integration' that excludes the transfer of substantial autonomy and fiscal authority, and a hasty integration that amounts only to a few years of temporary special cases granted as if they were favors, could instead fuel regional conflict and undermine the very purpose of integration," stressing, "That is why it is essential to hold a referendum on promoting administrative integration, as demanded by the majority of citizens, to directly confirm public opinion."

To prevent the original purpose from being undermined by an integration that focuses only on timeliness, the Mayor plans to proceed by placing emphasis not on speed but on sufficient deliberation and public debate.

Regarding current issues, he ordered that responding to spring wildfires be set as the top priority task and that the city enter an all-out emergency response posture.

Photo provided by Daejeon City

The Mayor said, "An important duty of the Mayor is to protect the lives and property of citizens, and from now until April and May is the period of highest wildfire risk," and instructed, "We must strengthen preventive activities so that not a single wildfire occurs, and in the event of a fire, we must minimize damage through swift suppression."

Accordingly, the City will strengthen special patrols in cooperation with district offices and the Fire Headquarters, and will actively promote the ban on burning by farms and publicize the Forestry Agency's support program for shredding agricultural by-products.

In addition, the City will inspect the operation of equipment such as special wildfire suppression vehicles and, when necessary, activate an inter-regional cooperation system within the Chungcheong area to actively provide support to other cities and provinces.

In particular, in preparation for the possibility that the risk of large wildfires will increase during the March 1 Independence Movement Day holiday period, the City will expand on-site inspections by senior officials and the operation of mobile patrol units.

The City will also strengthen support for small business owners who are struggling due to the economic downturn.

Given the strong response to the "support program (300,000 won) for small business owners with annual sales of less than 104 million won," the City plans to continue providing support through an additional supplementary budget if the current budget is exhausted early.