"Consider Our Sincere Feelings"... Why Did Sejong Mayor Suddenly Start a Hunger Strike?

Full Effort to Secure Budget for Garden City Expo and Light Festival
The 11th Plenary Session is the De Facto Deadline

Choi Min-ho, Mayor of Sejong City, has begun a 'hunger strike' urging the passage of the budget bill for the successful promotion of the International Garden City Expo and Light Festival.

According to a report by 'Yonhap News,' Mayor Choi started the hunger strike at 3 p.m. on the 6th in a tent set up in the square in front of City Hall. Banners hung on the tent read, "Please unite your strength to enable the Garden City Expo and Light Festival," and "Solving food issues and revitalizing the local economy: the Garden City Expo and Light Festival are promises to the citizens."

Before starting the hunger strike, Mayor Choi told reporters, "Time is endlessly passing, and it is insufficient even to devote efforts to the success of the Garden City Expo and Light Festival," adding, "There is no time left. I earnestly ask you to understand my sincere commitment to keeping the promise made to the citizens during the last local election."

Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho Begins Hunger Strike [Image Source=Yonhap News]

He also urged, "I hope the citizens will show great interest and support for the successful hosting of the expo and the fostering of future food industries."

Earlier, on the 10th of last month, the Sejong City Council completely cut the budget related to the Garden City Expo and Light Festival from the supplementary budget bill submitted by the city. The Garden City Expo is scheduled to be held in April-May 2026, and although it has received government approval as an international event and secured national funding, the failure to secure local government funding has made the event's feasibility uncertain.

Subsequently, the city requested a re-examination of the budget bill and the convening of a special session along with the submission of the supplementary budget bill. The special session was held on the 23rd of last month. However, the City Council's Budget and Accounts Special Committee failed to process the supplementary budget bill before midnight, resulting in an automatic adjournment.

The deadline for passing the supplementary budget bill, which includes funding for the Garden City Expo and Light Festival, is the plenary session of the 93rd City Council special session scheduled for the 11th. If the budget bill is not passed by that day, the time for foundational construction will be critically insufficient, making it impossible to proceed with the Garden City Expo.

It is reported that Mayor Choi will work inside the tent during the hunger strike period and will not attend external events. Earlier, on the 4th, he issued a "final appeal to the city council members," stating, "The 11th is the last deadline for the normal promotion of the expo," and "I will begin a hunger strike from the afternoon of the 6th to make a sincere appeal to the council members."

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