Gyeongbuk Gunwi-gun to Move Integrated New Airport, Daegu City Annexation Countdown... Bill Passes National Assembly's Public Administration Committee Subcommittee

Kim Jin-yeol, Governor of Gunwi County, Gyeongbuk (right in the photo), is shaking hands with Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, while asking for help in passing the bill for Gunwi County's incorporation into Daegu.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] The bill for incorporating Gunwi County, Gyeongbuk Province into Daegu City, titled “The Act on the Change of Jurisdictional Boundaries between Gyeongsangbuk-do and Daegu Metropolitan City,” passed the first subcommittee of the National Assembly’s Administrative Safety Committee on the 28th. It has been exactly 10 months since the bill was submitted to the National Assembly.

The incorporation plan, originally scheduled for discussion in the National Assembly in February, failed to be tabled due to opposition from Kim Hyung-dong, a member of the People Power Party (Andong·Yecheon), and subsequently, lukewarm attitudes from lawmakers representing Daegu and Gyeongbuk repeatedly prevented it from passing the National Assembly hurdle.

Thanks to Gunwi County Governor Kim Jin-yeol’s vigorous efforts, moving between the National Assembly, Daegu City Hall, and lawmakers’ offices since his inauguration, he secured an agreement for “November National Assembly approval” during a meeting with Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the People Power Party, last October.

If the bill passes the full meeting of the Administrative Safety Committee scheduled for December 1, followed by review by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and approval by the plenary session of the National Assembly, Gunwi County’s jurisdiction will change from Gyeongsangbuk-do to Daegu Metropolitan City starting July 1, 2023, according to the incorporation bill.

A Gunwi County official anticipated, “Since the bill passed unanimously in the Administrative Safety Committee subcommittee, it is expected that passing the remaining full committee meeting, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and the plenary session will not be very difficult.”

Governor Kim Jin-yeol said, “I am grateful for the magnanimous decision of the local political circles and the members of the Administrative Safety Committee. Especially, I thank the residents who patiently waited through the long period. This is all thanks to the wishes of the residents. Now that the goal is near, I will do my best to ensure the smooth passage of the bill through the National Assembly plenary session.”

With the passage of this bill, it is expected that the early commencement of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk integrated new airport and other projects, which had faced setbacks due to unclear jurisdiction, will get back on track.

In particular, regarding the relocation of military units to Daegu City, which Gunwi County is desperately pursuing to attract young population inflow and achieve a revolutionary industrial structure change, incorporation into Daegu City will simplify procedures and consultations related to the military unit relocation, prevent population and economic outflow, and provide a significant advantage in the attraction competition, thereby boosting the chances of final selection.

Concerning the plan to relocate Daegu International Airport and the Air Force base in Dong-gu, Daegu City, to Bian-myeon, Uiseong County, and Sobo-myeon, Gunwi County, located 47 km away in a straight line, on July 30, 2020, lawmakers from Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions announced a joint agreement to incorporate Gunwi County into Daegu City.

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