Chulwoo Lee, Gyeongbuk Governor: "Directly Explain Local Government Challenges at National Assembly Audit"

Executive Meeting Held to Review Response Strategy
National Audit of Gyeongbuk Provincial Government on October 20

On September 29, the Gyeongbuk provincial government held an executive meeting to conduct a final review of its response strategy for the audit by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, scheduled for October 20, and to decide to communicate the local government's position to the National Assembly.

Chulwoo Lee, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, stated on that day, "The national audit should not be regarded merely as a forum for criticism," and added, "Local governments should take this as an opportunity to directly explain their circumstances and the problems of national policies to the National Assembly, and to clearly express our position."

Chulwoo Lee, Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do

For the upcoming audit, Gyeongbuk province plans to focus on four key issues: the establishment of the Future Response Fund, the administrative integration of Daegu and Gyeongbuk, the construction of the new Daegu-Gyeongbuk Airport, and follow-up projects for the 2025 Gyeongju APEC summit. The province aims to call for responsible actions and support at the national level for each of these core initiatives.

Regarding the Future Response Fund, Gyeongbuk will represent local governments in raising the issue, as the establishment of the fund is expected to reduce the local allocation tax and impact all local governments. Governor Lee previously asserted at an earlier policy council with the People's Power Party's Gyeongbuk members on September 8 that the Future Response Fund "clearly runs counter to local autonomy and decentralization." He proposed a review of how the fund is financed and suggested institutional mechanisms to incorporate the views of local governments into its operation.

The administrative integration of Daegu and Gyeongbuk has been under discussion since 2019 to overcome the risk of local extinction, marking the first metropolitan integration initiative in the country. The province plans to emphasize that this integration aligns with the government's 'Five Regions/Three Special Areas' national balanced development strategy, and will request the prompt resumption and passing of the special bill on Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative integration, which is pending in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

For the new Daegu-Gyeongbuk Airport, the province plans to highlight that local communities are shouldering the burden resulting from national-level project delays. With residents experiencing increased relative deprivation and prolonged restrictions on property rights, the province intends to communicate its position regarding the need for revising the special integrated airport law to include its participation as a joint project executor and secure national financial support.

For the 2025 Gyeongju APEC summit, the focus will be on leveraging its achievements for international exchange and regional growth, and the province plans to request national attention and support for follow-up projects such as establishing the Gyeongju APEC International Culture Center, making the World Gyeongju Forum a regular event, and attracting an Asia-Pacific AI Center.

Governor Lee said, "The national audit should serve as an opportunity to review and assess the overall provincial administration, to humbly address areas for improvement, and to act responsibly to resolve local government challenges and secure momentum for our key projects."

Gyeongbuk province also plans to continuously convey its position and opinions not only to the Public Administration and Security Committee, but also to other committees such as the Finance and Economy Planning Committee and the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, by working closely with local lawmakers during the upcoming audit sessions.

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