The Democratic Party, led by Kim Min-seok, held a Supreme Council meeting in Gwangju on November 11, where they pledged to support the establishment of a semiconductor cluster, the relocation of a military airport, and the enhancement of medical infrastructure in the southwestern region of Jeollanam-do.
This meeting is seen as an effort to consolidate support among their base and address public sentiment.
The Democratic Party convened the on-site Supreme Council meeting at the Gwangju City Hall.
In his opening remarks, Kim stated, "The government budget proposal for next year includes 13.9 trillion won for the integrated national budget for Jeollanam-do and Gwangju. This budget lays the groundwork for administrative integration and supports the development of three major mega projects, including the semiconductor hub. I will ensure that we thoroughly review local issues during the National Assembly's budget deliberations to avoid any shortfalls in funding."
He further emphasized the urgency of relocating the military airport in Gwangju, which is directly linked to the semiconductor cluster's establishment. "I will expedite legal reforms to facilitate the smooth relocation and development of the site," he promised.
Kim also announced plans to enhance medical infrastructure in the southwestern region of Jeollanam-do, where the establishment of a medical school had fallen through.
"I understand the community's desire for advanced medical facilities equivalent to a general hospital in the Mokpo southwestern region. Discussions are underway regarding the establishment of a branch of Chonnam National University Hospital in Mokpo," he said. "I will work to ensure that residents in the southwestern region and island areas are not neglected in essential public healthcare by developing institutional and financial support measures."
Seo Mi-hwa, a Supreme Council member from Muan, remarked, "President Lee Jae-myung is personally overseeing the project, and the 800 trillion won investment and national capabilities focused on the Honam semiconductor sector must succeed. The success of Honam's semiconductor industry will serve as a milestone in breaking away from the concentration of power in the capital region and creating a new model for balanced regional development."
She added, "The Democratic Party will firmly support the success of the Honam semiconductor initiative and the integrated special city of Jeollanam-do and Gwangju in line with the vision and spirit of the times presented by the President."
The party leadership urged the government and local authorities to provide responsible explanations regarding the fairness controversy that arose during the selection process for the national medical school in Jeollanam-do.
Seo criticized, "Residents of the southwestern region have been advocating for the establishment of a national medical school at Mokpo National University for 36 years. The recent announcement by the local medical school planning committee has left residents' hopes dashed due to a lack of transparency and fairness in the evaluation process."
She emphasized, "What the residents of the southwestern region are asking for is not to overturn the results but to conduct a reevaluation based on transparency, fairness, and professionalism. How the government and local authorities address the sentiments of the southwestern residents is a task they must tackle together with the community."
An Do-geol, chairman of the Jeollanam-do and Gwangju integrated special city party committee, explained the progress of policies aimed at discovering future growth engines and resolving local issues, requesting active support from the party leadership.
He also urged, "During the second phase of the public institution relocation process, it is crucial that the principles of preferential treatment for the integrated special city are upheld, and I ask for the party leadership's strong commitment and determination in this regard."
Mayor Min Hyung-bae of Gwangju requested party support for the development of the semiconductor industry and the establishment of the integrated special city.
Mayor Min noted, "It has been four months since the launch of the Jeollanam-do and Gwangju integrated special city. We are now at a critical juncture for significant progress and new leaps forward. The southern semiconductor mega project must accelerate. We need to ensure that integrated administration functions effectively on the ground by complementing the mega special zone law and the integrated special city law. I will provide a detailed report on this matter today."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.