President Lee Jae Myung suggested Thursday that the central city of Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province be merged ahead of next year's local elections, paving the way for the election of a new leader for the expanded administrative district.
Lee made the suggestion during his meeting with the ruling Democratic Party lawmakers representing the region and asked them to help advance legislative efforts to integrate the central area, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.
"Integration of Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province could help open up the way to address the overconcentration of the Seoul metropolitan area and balanced regional development," he said.
He also said the central government should provide substantive and effective administrative support to enable the election of the governor of the integrated region in the upcoming local elections, scheduled for June 2026.
"Integrating local governments is not easy, but it requires policy judgment that goes beyond complex political interests," he said.
In September, 45 lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party proposed a bill to create an integrated province in the region, but lawmakers from the DP have yet to join the initiative, leaving the bill pending in the National Assembly.
Lee has proposed customized development strategies for five regional hubs -- the Seoul metropolitan, southeast, northeast, central and western regions -- as well as three special self-governing provinces -- Jeju, Gangwon and North Jeolla -- as part of his push for balanced regional growth. (Yonhap)
