Gyeongnam Province: "Democratic Party, Stop Opposing the Administrative Integration of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam"

Gyeongnam Provincial Government. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] “It is inappropriate to say that we must take a long detour instead of a shortcut when we should be joining forces for administrative integration and working together to overcome the crisis in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong).”

On the 21st, Gyeongsangnam-do questioned the Democratic Party’s Gyeongnam Provincial Party and Busan City Party, who criticized the Bu-Ul-Gyeong administrative integration plan proposed by Gyeongnam Province, asking, “Are you opposing administrative integration?”

On the same day, the chairpersons of the Democratic Party’s Bu-Ul-Gyeong city and provincial parties and local lawmakers held a press conference, urging to reverse the intention to withdraw from the Bu-Ul-Gyeong Special Union, saying, “The Bu-Ul-Gyeong Megacity is absolutely necessary for the interests of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam.”

They criticized, “If the Bu-Ul-Gyeong Special Union, which was born after long preparation reflecting the long-standing wishes of the Bu-Ul-Gyeong citizens, is sunk on the grounds of a very short two-month feasibility study, Governor Park Wan-su of Gyeongnam and Mayor Park Hyung-joon of Busan, who responded with active consideration, must take full responsibility.”

In response, Gyeongnam Province rebutted, “Former Governor Kim Kyung-soo also proposed administrative integration ahead of the Special Union as the optimal plan for Bu-Ul-Gyeong cooperation,” adding, “The Democratic Party is showing a contradictory behavior by insisting on the Special Union, which is practically ineffective for Bu-Ul-Gyeong’s win-win development and balanced growth.”

The province emphasized that Bu-Ul-Gyeong administrative integration is “the key to promoting balanced growth across the entire Bu-Ul-Gyeong region through policies and strategies of a single local government.”

“Through Bu-Ul-Gyeong administrative integration, we can overcome at once the regional extinction crisis caused by rapid population decline, industrial structural changes and decline, and intensifying local hollowing-out,” it explained, “Building the largest local government in the Southeast region with a population of 8 million and a GRDP of 272 trillion won presents a great opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with Seoul and other metropolitan areas.”

The province strongly urged the Democratic Party, “We strongly call on you to immediately stop political offensives against regional development so that Bu-Ul-Gyeong can move beyond factions and ideology toward true integration even now.”

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