Original Source
Daegu City Shifts Focus to Local Issues Amid Stalled Administrative Merger, Seeking Self-Reliance
Administrative Merger Stalls, Shifting City's Focus
Daegu City's concentrated efforts toward the Daegu-Gyeongbuk administrative merger are facing uncertainty, with even its passage in the March National Assembly now questionable. This has forced the city to shift its focus towards resolving existing local issues. On January 19, Kim Jeong-gi, Acting Mayor of Daegu, stated that the merger was an opportune time to resolve issues like airport construction and water source problems. However, with the merger facing difficulties, Daegu must now review its independent survival strategies.
Re-examining Key Issues and Strengthening National Funding Strategies
Daegu City held a four-day current issues review meeting to re-examine various pressing tasks, including attracting the National Institute of Dental Science, a branch of the Independence Hall, and the Cultural Arts Hub development project. The city recognizes the urgent need for central government cooperation and national funding this year, especially with numerous public tenders and new projects on the horizon. Oh Jun-hyeok, Director of Daegu's Planning and Coordination Office, stated that the city plans to meticulously develop its own promotion strategies, as well as arguments for feasibility and expected benefits, to persuade the central government for individual support.
Additionally, some target institutions for the second phase of public institution relocation overlap with those desired by Jeonnam and Gwangju, making strategic adjustments unavoidable. Daegu City intends to concentrate on re-mobilizing its administrative capabilities to transform this crisis into an opportunity.
*Source: YouTube: KBS News (2026-03-13)*
