Gwangju City Councilor Kim Hak-sil: "Mid-level Proposal for Autonomous District Boundary Adjustment Must Be Widely Accepted"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Kim Hak-sil, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangsan-gu 3), proposed in a 5-minute free speech at the plenary session on the 27th that Gwangju City should prepare a reasonable adjustment plan that the local community can agree on by closely examining the historicity, legitimacy, and socio-cultural homogeneity of the local community, rather than relying on the non-legally binding mediation plan of the preparatory planning group.

Councilor Kim Hak-sil pointed out the problems of the medium-scale plan, saying, “The medium-scale plan, which includes the incorporation of Cheomdan 1 and 2-dong into Buk-gu, is a reorganization plan that goes against balanced development among autonomous districts,” and added, “Opposition to this is not regional selfishness but a rational opposition to not lose sight of the original purpose of boundary adjustment, which is ‘regional balanced development.’”

The main points include ▲First, ignoring the historicity of Cheomdan 1 and 2-dong, which has played a central role in the Gwangsan community ▲Second, the population of Buk-gu, which accounts for 30% of Gwangju’s population, actually increases ▲Third, acceleration of regional imbalance due to concentration of public facilities in Buk-gu ▲Lastly, weakening of policy consistency and continuity due to loss of the base of the district mayor and local councilors.

Councilor Kim said, “Balanced development is a demand of the times, so boundary adjustment is necessary,” and “Social consensus among local residents is more important than artificial incorporation into autonomous districts.”

Meanwhile, Gwangju City’s ‘Boundary Adjustment Preparatory Planning Group’ proposed the medium-scale plan to Gwangju City on the 20th, and in response, the Gwangsan District Council and local members of the National Assembly issued a statement opposing the medium-scale plan, which lacked citizens’ opinions.

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