Cho Wonjin, Our Republican Party Leader: "TK Administrative Integration Failed Due to Hong Junpyo's Responsibility... Must Let Go of Greed and Start Again"

Cho Wonjin, leader of the Our Republican Party, stated on the 3rd, "Mayor Hong Joonpyo must take responsibility for the collapse of the administrative integration between Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province," adding, "He should abandon his greed and return to the 'table of integration.'"

In a press release issued that day, Cho said, "On August 27, Mayor Hong Joonpyo unilaterally declared the collapse of the administrative integration between Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province. On the afternoon of the same day, Mayor Hong Joonpyo expressed regret on his social networking service (SNS) account that the North Gyeongsang Provincial Council had become a venue for criticizing the Daegu Mayor, and although the final deadline is tomorrow, he said it would be difficult to obtain the council's consent."

Jo Wonjin, leader of the Our Republican Party

Cho continued, "Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, said that despite Mayor Hong Joonpyo's unilateral declaration, the administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang should continue even if there are obstacles. He stated that administrative integration is a very complex issue with various intertwined fields, so difficulties are inevitable, and although there may be even greater obstacles than those raised so far, he expressed his view that we should overcome these difficulties through consultation and coordination and pave the way for integration for future generations."

The three-month-long integration discussions between Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province, which began with a bold proposal from Mayor Hong Joonpyo, ended without results after about 100 days, as they failed to narrow differences over the level of authority for cities and counties and the location of the government office.

Cho said, "Our Republican Party proposed a reorganization of the local administrative system into a '4+3 Megacity' to resolve the concentration in the capital region, which has been identified as the root cause of chronic issues in the Korean economy such as low birth rates, low growth, and regional inequality. We argued that if the central government innovates the incentive structure to support megacities?through megacity construction, expansion of local finances, and differential corporate tax rates?the Korean economy can make a new leap forward. Therefore, the unilateral breakdown of administrative integration by Mayor Hong Joonpyo is very regrettable."

At the '4th National Convention of Delegates of the Our Republican Party' held on the 1st, newly elected party leader Cho Wonjin said, "The hopeful expectations for administrative integration between Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province have turned into great disappointment," adding, "This failure is entirely the responsibility of Mayor Hong Joonpyo. The failure of administrative integration, which was pushed forward unilaterally without consultation with the residents and the city and provincial councils, was a foregone conclusion."

Cho Wonjin, leader of the Our Republican Party, stated, "Mayor Hong Joonpyo has used a matter of great importance, which will determine the future of Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province, for his own political self-interest," and added, "Looking at the series of events from the proposal of administrative integration to its collapse, Mayor Hong Joonpyo's impulsive and autocratic political style is clearly evident. Even now, he should abandon personal greed and return to the table for administrative integration."

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