Ahead of June Local Elections, Gyeonggi 'Bundo (Division)' Reignites

Gyeonggi-do Gwanggyo New Government Building

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The 'division theory' proposing to split Gyeonggi Province into north and south is reigniting once again ahead of the nationwide local elections this June. The originators are the prospective candidates who have declared their intention to run for the governorship of Gyeonggi Province. Each of them is emphasizing the justification and alternatives related to the division theory, striving to capture the votes of the residents.

The first candidate to bring up the division theory was candidate Yeom Tae-young (former mayor of Suwon). On the 13th, Yeom held a press conference at the northern branch office of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government in Uijeongbu City and announced his pledge for a 'Gyeonggi Northern Autonomous Special Province.' At this event, Yeom promised, "By the 2026 local elections, we will establish the foundation to elect a new governor for the northern Gyeonggi Province."

Candidate Cho Jung-sik (Democratic Party of Korea, Gyeonggi Siheung-eul) shares a similar view with Yeom. He believes division is necessary and that it should be a 'better division' than the current situation. Cho has stated that if elected, he will form a task force (TF) to establish a roadmap for division and actively promote the division process.

On the other hand, candidate Kim Dong-yeon (former Deputy Prime Minister) is cautious about the division. At a press briefing held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government on the 18th, Kim said, "Since the financial independence of northern Gyeonggi is lower than that of the south and regional imbalance is severe, addressing these issues should come first," expressing concern that "a hasty division could lead to financial deterioration and harm the residents of the northern province." This aligns with the stance of former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, who argued during the 2018 gubernatorial election that rushing the division would cause more harm than good and that the gap between the north and south of Gyeonggi should be resolved first.

Candidate Ahn Min-seok (Democratic Party of Korea, Gyeonggi Osan City) proposes 'administrative separation' as an alternative by delegating authority to a vice governor dedicated to northern Gyeonggi. Ahn's idea is to transfer personnel and budgetary authority to the northern vice governor so that they can effectively serve as the de facto governor of the northern region.

Opposition party People Power Party's prospective candidates for Gyeonggi governorship are taking a cautious stance on the division issue.

Candidate Kim Eun-hye (Seongnam Bundang-gap) visited the Gyeonggi Northern Office in Uijeongbu on the 20th and held a press conference, emphasizing, "I am fundamentally in favor of the division, but the root causes that led to the demand for division must be addressed first." She added, "The division stems from the sacrifices and hardships endured by the residents of northern Gyeonggi, and I deeply feel the seriousness of this." However, Kim also stated, "I think it is better to first identify and solve the fundamental problems."

Candidate Yoo Seung-min (former lawmaker) also believes that efforts for the development of the northern region should precede discussions on division. Yoo said that lifting overlapping regulations binding the north, such as the metropolitan area regulation zone, border areas, and water source protection zones, should come first. After such development efforts and discussions with residents, the final decision on division will be made.

The 'division theory' in Gyeonggi has been a recurring topic during election seasons since the 1990s. The first wave of division theory emerged during the 1992 presidential election and was adopted as a campaign pledge in the 15th and 16th National Assembly elections held in 1996 and 2000, respectively.

The division theory also gained attention in the 2018 local elections. At that time, Democratic Party candidates Jeon Hae-cheol and Yang Ki-dae supported the division theory, while candidate Lee Jae-myung proposed a 'gradual division theory.' Lee, who advocated for the gradual division, won the election.

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