"Integration Without Fiscal Transfers Is Just Window Dressing"... Governor Kim Taeheum Rejects Administrative Integration Bill

"Without Special Exceptions and Authority Transfers, a Major Political Decision Will Follow"
Calls for Halt to Rushed National Assembly Review and Formation of a Bipartisan Special Committee with Equal Representation

Kim Taeheum, Governor of South Chungcheong Province

After the special act bill on the administrative integration of Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province passed the bill review subcommittee of the National Assembly’s standing committee, Kim Taeheum, Governor of South Chungcheong Province, raised open opposition.

Governor Kim argued that a bill from which many provisions on fiscal and authority transfers have been deleted is nothing more than a "window dressing" measure, and that, as it stands, it cannot preserve the essence of integration.

He added that he would "fight to the end together with the residents of the province," even leaving open the possibility of a major political decision.

On February 12, Governor Kim held a press conference at the South Chungcheong Provincial Government press center and criticized the review of the special act bill that took place on February 11 at the bill review subcommittee of the Public Administration and Security Committee of the National Assembly.

He said, "This review merely played the role of a rubber stamp for the government," adding, "As the Governor of South Chungcheong Province, who is both the main party to the integration and the direct party to the legislation, I can in no way accept this."

He went on, "Due to the government’s resistance to preserving its vested interests, all provisions on fiscal transfers have been deleted, leaving only declarative support clauses," and pointed out, "A bill without permanent fiscal and authority transfers fundamentally undermines the purpose of administrative integration."

In fact, provisions such as the transfer of capital gains tax and local allocation tax, which had been included in the Daejeon–South Chungcheong integration bill proposed by the Democratic Party, were removed during the review process.

Governor Kim said, "All that remains is the sentence, 'The state must endeavor to prepare measures for financial support to ensure the success of the integrated city,'" and criticized, "This cannot be called a substantive transfer of authority."

He further criticized, "The Democratic Party, which had opposed administrative integration, hastily pushed forward a bill without fiscal and authority transfers just because of a single remark by the president," adding, "It is also hard to understand that not a single Democratic Party lawmaker representing a constituency in Daejeon or South Chungcheong participated in the bill subcommittee’s review process."

In particular, he said, "Administrative integration must not stop at 'boundary expansion,'" and stressed, "This must not be the mere passage of a bill that simply broadens administrative boundaries, but an integration in which autonomy and fiscal authority are substantively expanded."

He then made a public request to the president, saying, "Please definitely keep the promise to adjust the ratio of national taxes to local taxes to 65 to 35, and to grant the maximum possible special exceptions."

Governor Kim urged, "The Public Administration and Security Committee must immediately halt this rushed review, and a special committee with equal representation from the ruling and opposition parties must be formed to discuss from square one the common criteria for the regions subject to integration."

He added, "If these demands are not accepted, I will keep all options open, including a major political decision, and respond to the end together with the residents of the province."

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