Daegu City Political Lineup Established Under 'Hong Eui-rak Economic Vice Mayor System'

Mayor Kwon Young-jin: "Second half personnel appointments are under the deputy mayor's responsibility and authority"
Hong Eui-rak: "Mayor Kwon contacted aides in advance... did not make direct requests"

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Eui-rak (left) is attending the Daegu City Party Chairman's briefing and meeting held at the Democratic Party Daegu Branch in Sincheon-dong, Dong-gu, Daegu on the afternoon of the 25th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] With Hong Eui-rak, Daegu City’s Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, taking office on July 1, Daegu City's political line is expected to be built around the 'Hong Eui-rak system.'

Currently, all four political positions in Daegu City are vacant. Among them, the position of Chief of Political Affairs is tentatively assigned to a close aide of Mayor Kwon. The question is whether the remaining three seats will all be filled by figures assisting the new Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Hong.

In this regard, there are rumors that the three political positions, including Jeon Jae-moon, who served as a secretary to former lawmaker Hong, have already been tentatively assigned as recommended figures of the new Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Hong. In particular, Mayor Kwon Young-jin’s public statement on the 29th that he would effectively hand over personnel authority to the Deputy Mayor lends credibility to these rumors.

At the expanded executive meeting held via video on the same day, Mayor Kwon said, "In this (second half) regular personnel reshuffle, I will grant authority and responsibility to the Administrative and Economic Deputy Mayors," adding, "Departing from the existing personnel consultation method, personnel decisions will be discussed and decided under the authority and responsibility of the two Deputy Mayors, and the Mayor will conduct final consultations on those decisions."

Regarding this, former lawmaker Hong appeared on YTN radio’s program 'Noh Young-hee’s Start of a New Morning' and, when asked to respond to claims that he demanded political personnel to work with him, said, "It seems the former secretary had prior contact with the Mayor. If necessary, we work together... but I have never officially said 'so-and-so, a certain number must be appointed' directly."

Meanwhile, Mayor Kwon Young-jin instructed budget restructuring related to the disbursement of the second round of emergency livelihood funds in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the executive meeting held that day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.