Gyeongbuk Gunwi-gun Seethes as County Head Is Arrested and Deputy County Head Abruptly Replaced

Public Officials Union and Integrated New Airport Promotion Committee "'Isn't the Review Trying to Avoid Implementing the Agreement on 'Gunwi-gun's Incorporation into Daegu City'?"
…Gyeongbuk Province "It Follows the Principle of Replacing Deputy Gover

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] After the arrest of County Governor Kim Young-man, the Wanju County, which had been maintained under an emergency deputy governor system, is now facing unrest in public sentiment as the deputy governor was abruptly replaced just over two months after the governor's vacancy.

Gyeongbuk Province states that the personnel change aligns with the principle of replacing deputy governors every two years, but inside and outside the county office, there is collective opposition, claiming that the intention is to dispatch a deputy governor who suits the governor's taste to manipulate Wanju County administration.

On March 2, Gyeongbuk Province appointed Park Seong-geun, Gyeongbuk Province Job and Youth Policy Officer, as the deputy governor (Grade 4) of Wanju County, while dispatching Kim Ki-deok, the former deputy governor of Wanju County, to Andong University.

Deputy Governor Kim, who took office on January 2, 2019, was originally scheduled to be replaced earlier this year, but the situation changed when County Governor Kim Young-man was sentenced to seven years in prison on bribery charges and arrested on December 18 last year.

Fearing an administrative vacuum, the Wanju County Council and others requested the retention of Deputy Governor Kim, whose retirement is scheduled for the end of June, and Gyeongbuk Province seemed to accept this.

However, when Deputy Governor Kim was suddenly replaced at a time other than the usual personnel change periods in June and December, the Wanju County Government Employees' Union and the Wanju County Integrated New Airport Promotion Committee simultaneously condemned Gyeongbuk Province.

The Wanju County Government Employees' Union stated, "Gyeongbuk Province consulted with Wanju County at the end of last year to replace the deputy governor, but due to the governor's arrest, the deputy governor remained in an acting capacity," and criticized, "In a situation where the acting system must continue until the next local election, we cannot understand why a deputy governor with only four months left in public service had to be replaced."

Also, the civilian organization Wanju County Integrated New Airport Promotion Committee visited Gyeongbuk Provincial Office on the 25th and strongly expressed regret, demanding the withdrawal of the 'Wanju Deputy Governor Replacement.'

Chairman Park Han-bae of the Promotion Committee met with Deputy Governor Kang Seong-jo and said, "Deputy Governor Kim represented Wanju's position a lot during the integrated new airport attraction process and also has a thorough understanding of county administration, so we hope he stays for even four more months," adding, "The governor must be aware of this Wanju sentiment, so replacing the deputy governor raises strong doubts about whether there is an intention not to implement the joint agreement that includes Wanju County's incorporation into Daegu City."

Regarding this, a Gyeongbuk Province official said, "The need for occasional personnel changes within the provincial office arose, and the replacement of the Wanju deputy governor was also discussed and included in this personnel change," cautioning against political interpretations.

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