Jogyuil Jinju Mayor Strongly Condemns "Is LH Dissolution Innovation?"

Solo Protest in Front of Government Seoul Office and National Assembly
"Dissolving LH Is Not the Best Way to Restore Public Trust"

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] On the 7th, Jinju Mayor Cho Gyu-il staged a one-person protest in front of the Government Seoul Office, condemning the government's innovation plan for Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH).

Mayor Cho explained, "In the region, the government's LH innovation plan announced on this day essentially outlines the transfer of LH's main functions to other agencies and a significant reduction in personnel, effectively leading to its dismantling. This has placed the Gyeongnam Jinju Innovation City and surrounding areas in a serious crisis."

He expressed outrage, saying, "The government's LH innovation plan is being unilaterally carried out by the ruling party without any prior discussion with anyone in the Gyeongnam community, including Jinju City. Moreover, its contents shake the very foundation of the region, which is a betrayal of the 360,000 Jinju citizens and the 3.3 million residents of Gyeongnam Province."

He continued, "Despite the sweltering weather, as the mayor representing the 360,000 Jinju citizens, I have taken to a one-person protest with firm determination to convey the urgent and grave crisis threatening the survival of the region to the government, reflecting the earnest feelings of the citizens."

He added, "LH is a symbol of the Gyeongnam Jinju Innovation City and a cornerstone of national balanced development. It makes significant economic contributions to the region, including local taxes, and its social contributions, such as hiring local talent, are immense. Dismantling LH, which serves as a major pillar supporting the region, is tantamount to pushing the region toward the cliff of extinction."

Mayor Cho stated, "I cannot comprehend the government's policy direction that, in response to the cause of real estate speculation by LH executives and employees that occurred last March, has come up with the completely unrelated remedy of dismantling LH. Although there are reasonable solutions through external controls such as disclosure of asset details and legal reforms related to internal controls, forcibly dismantling LH cannot avoid criticism as a showy tactic to appease public anger and cover up repeated real estate missteps."

He also raised his voice, saying, "This LH innovation plan violates the grand principle of national balanced development and cruelly shatters the bright dreams of local talents who dream only of joining LH and guard their desks day and night. We strongly urge the government and the National Assembly, together with the citizens of Jinju, to immediately withdraw the LH innovation plan and to prepare a reasonable LH innovation plan through sufficient discussions with expert groups and various community groups, including the local community."

Mayor Cho plans to continue the one-person protest in front of the National Assembly building until the 9th to strongly condemn the government's LH innovation plan that threatens the existence of Gyeongnam Jinju Innovation City and shakes the foundation of the region. He also intends to seek meetings with members of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, Gyeongnam district lawmakers, and lawmakers from Gyeongnam.

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