Kim Bu-gyeom: "The Sure Way to Move the Administrative Capital Is 'Constitutional Amendment' and 'National Referendum'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Former lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum, a candidate for the Democratic Party leadership, expressed a negative stance on the relocation of the administrative capital through the amendment of a special law on the 28th. He emphasized 'national referendum' and 'constitutional amendment' as definite methods.

On the same day, Kim posted on his Facebook, "There is a way to push for the relocation starting with the National Assembly through the amendment of the special law, but it is not a capital relocation, and major institutions such as the Blue House cannot be moved later," he pointed out.

He continued, "There are two ways for a complete administrative capital relocation including the Blue House," adding, "One is to specify the capital in the constitutional amendment, pass it through the National Assembly, and then hold a national referendum. The other is for the president to directly submit it to a national referendum."

Kim cited the Constitutional Court's judgment during the participatory government era as the basis for his argument. He explained, "The Constitutional Court blocked the administrative capital relocation based on the customary constitutional theory of Gyeongguk Daejeon," and "The reason was that 'capital relocation is a matter to be decided by constitutional amendment or national referendum, not by law.'"

He added, "Apart from methodological differences, the Democratic Party and I actively support the administrative capital relocation for balanced development," and said, "It is clearly abnormal that 50% of the population and 70% of the economy are concentrated in the metropolitan area, which accounts for only 11.8% of the national land area."

As a fundamental alternative for balanced national development, he also proposed 'metropolitan mutual development.' Kim said, "If Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam become metropolitan economic zones with self-sufficiency, they can create synergy effects in logistics, finance, transportation, production, and education," and argued, "We need to shift our thinking about the national territory from existing administrative districts to metropolitan economic zones."

He added, "Concerns that the relocation of the administrative capital might lower Seoul's competitiveness are groundless," and said, "If balanced development is achieved, the 'quality of life' of Seoul citizens will improve, and the status of Seoul as a global economic city can be further enhanced."

Regarding Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the United Future Party's remark about the Constitutional Court being "filled with ruling party people," Kim Boo-kyum called it a "baseless distortion" and requested opposition cooperation for the administrative capital relocation. Kim said, "Chairman Kim and the United Future Party view the administrative capital relocation solely as a political calculation. That leads to 'petty politics' that only considers immediate political gains and losses," and urged, "I call on the United Future Party to engage in 'great national politics' that looks far into the country's future."

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