Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo and Chungcheongnam-do Governor Kim Tae-heum demand the immediate repeal of a controversial special bill on administrative integration between Daejeon and Chungnam, calling it a flawed obstacle to genuine local autonomy discussions.
Mayor Lee Jang-woo’s Press Conference Remarks
On February 25, Mayor Lee Jang-woo addressed a press conference at Daejeon City Hall. He emphasized that responses to the administrative integration differ sharply from the president’s stated position, with no substantive opposition noted. “The Democratic Party opposes any integration bill outright,” he stated.
Lee highlighted a post on X by party leadership, which described ignoring opposition from leadership and plenary sessions as the correct approach. He labeled integration opponents within the Democratic Party as “boneheads” and urged the People Power Party to assert its influence.
“Declare special privileges openly and push this through the National Assembly. Force the ruling party leadership to make a decision,” Lee added.
Governor Kim Tae-heum Echoes Criticism
Governor Kim Tae-heum spoke at a similar press event in Chungnam Provincial Office. He criticized the leaked bill from party leadership as overly cautious rhetoric from plenary debates, dismissing it as “ideological collusion” or “blind imitation across the board.”
“The Democratic Party-led integration bill overflows with subjective and extreme views, leaving only hollow formal phrases,” Kim remarked. He called for revising the legislation entirely due to its fundamental flaws before reintroducing a proper version.
“As the majority in the National Assembly, the People Power Party must enact special measures and compel the government to conduct a thorough review to advance real local autonomy,” he concluded.
