Jeon Gyeong-seon, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member, Urges Caution with a 100-Year Vision for City-Province Integration

Jeon Gyeong-seon, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Jeon Gyeong-seon, a former member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly, raised a cautious view regarding the city-province integration issue, stating, “Sudden discussions on integration could undermine the greater good,” and “It should be approached calmly and carefully with a 100-year perspective.”

Jeon Gyeong-seon made these remarks during the administrative audit of the Autonomous Administration Bureau at the Planning and Administration Committee meeting of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly held on the 10th, addressing the city-province integration issue, which has recently been the biggest topic in Gwangju and Jeonnam.

He continued, “It appears that the Jeonnam governor is reluctantly being dragged along by the sudden proposal from the Gwangju mayor,” adding, “Originally, they share one root and have inseparable relationships in all fields such as economy, society, culture, and tourism, but the integration is very unexpected. What is the true intention of the governor who signed the agreement for integration discussions?”

Regarding the signing of the ‘Agreement for Discussion on Gwangju-Jeonnam Administrative Integration’ on the 2nd, Jeon questioned, “Can the city and provincial governors, who have been entrusted with authority by residents through elections, agree and implement such a significant issue overnight without gathering opinions from the citizens?”

He also said, “Even major national projects are carried out after establishing five- or ten-year plans and holding numerous public hearings,” and expressed skepticism, stating, “Setting a fixed period of one year and six months for research, review, and preparation as per the agreement draft raises doubts that a conclusion might have already been decided and the process is just a formality.”

In particular, during the administrative audit, he emphasized regarding the suddenly contentious city-province integration issue, “There is much concern that Gwangju’s proposal for integration discussions and Jeonnam’s passive and indecisive response might lead to absorption-type integration,” and stressed, “The governor must take charge and faithfully represent the will of the residents in the integration discussions.”

Furthermore, concerning the mention of the medical school in the agreement, he reiterated, “The establishment of a national medical school in Jeonnam, a 30-year-long wish of the residents and classified as a regional priority by the government, has lost its justification due to the city-province integration discussions,” and urged, “I hope the governor clearly expresses a firm stance while listening carefully to the concerns and opposition voices of the local people.”

He also pointed out, “Although the role of the Jeonnam Provincial Office in Namak New Town, which involved astronomical budgets, is clearly a potential source of conflict, drafting the agreement without clearly agreeing on solutions is definitely not what the residents want.”

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