Governor Park Wansu: "Administrative Integration of Gyeongsangnam-do and Busan Through Referendum Must Proceed Consistently and Steadfastly"

"Let us promote administrative integration with Busan in a steadfast and consistent manner, in a way that secures procedural legitimacy, status, and autonomy."

On the 9th, Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongsangnam-do, while leading an expanded executive meeting at the provincial government building, once again stressed the need to adhere to the principles for promoting administrative integration between Gyeongsangnam-do and Busan.

Governor Park said, "Recently, as the central government has not accepted the powers requested by Daegu and Gyeongbuk, and by Daejeon and Chungnam, which are pursuing wide-area administrative integration, demands for a referendum from residents are pouring in across those regions."

He went on to say, "Cases in other regions have shown that the principles our Gyeongsangnam-do set out for integration with Busan were very legitimate, appropriate, and suitable."

Park Wansu, governor of Gyeongsangnam-do, is leading an expanded executive meeting and is once again emphasizing the principles for promoting administrative integration between Gyeongsangnam-do and Busan. Photo provided by Gyeongsangnam-do.

Governor Park explained, "Integration that does not secure procedural legitimacy and does not secure status and autonomy is in fact of little significance," adding, "We demanded the enactment of a basic integration act and the securing of legitimacy through a referendum because it is unacceptable for basic rights to fluctuate from region to region, and for there to be differences in the status or autonomy of local governments themselves."

He then emphasized, "Our province must consistently push ahead with administrative integration, as agreed upon with the Busan Metropolitan City Government."

Previously, in November 2024, Gyeongsangnam-do and Busan launched the Administrative Integration Public Deliberation Committee, composed of 30 members including 2 co-chairs, and, through meetings, regional debates, and on-site briefing sessions, informed Gyeongsangnam-do residents and Busan citizens about the need for administrative integration and strategies for balanced development.

Subsequently, in a public opinion survey conducted from December 23 to 29 last year on a total of 4,047 residents aged 18 or older in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do, responses in favor of administrative integration accounted for more than half, at 55.5% in Busan, 51.7% in Gyeongsangnam-do, and 53.3% overall.

Accordingly, at the end of last month, Governor Park and Busan Mayor Park Hyungjun drew up a special bill that includes essential elements of administrative integration, such as the powers, responsibilities, status, name, and government office location of the integrated local government. They presented a basic administrative integration blueprint under which a referendum will be held this year, and the head of the integrated local government will be elected at the general election in 2028.

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