Daejeon’s Push for Administrative Integration: Will Mayor Lee Jung-woo Call for a Residents’ Vote?

On February 10, the Daejeon City Council passed a resolution to hold a referendum on the administrative integration of Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province, sparking intense interest in Mayor Lee Jang-woo’s ultimate decision.

During the second plenary session of its 293rd extraordinary meeting that afternoon, the council adopted a resolution urging a public vote on the administrative merger. The resolution was primarily sponsored by Councilman Kim Jin-oh of the People Power Party, representing Seo-gu District 1.

As a result, all eyes are now on Mayor Lee to see if he will request the Minister of the Interior and Safety to conduct the referendum.

While it would be customary for the mayor to promptly make this request following the council’s resolution, the situation is complicated. The Minister is unlikely to approve the referendum, and the Democratic Party has already pledged to pass the integration bill in February, reducing the leverage of such a move.

At a town hall meeting on February 6, Mayor Lee addressed a question from Councilman Lee Jung-ho of the People Power Party, who demanded a firm commitment to swiftly request the referendum. The mayor responded, “Even if I ask the Minister to hold a referendum, they might come up with various excuses to deny it.” He added, “Once we receive the council’s official opinion, I will consult with legal experts before making a final decision.”

Later that day, during a meeting with South Chungcheong Governor Kim Tae-heum and Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong, Mayor Lee stressed the need for greater decentralization. He argued that in line with the President’s strong commitment to local autonomy, both the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Economy and Finance should devolve more authority. Lee warned, “If the bill fails to adequately reflect the opinions of our residents, I may have no choice but to demand a referendum from the Minister.”

There’s still a possibility that Daejeon City will submit a proposal to the City Council for gathering public opinion on the Democratic Party’s integration bill. However, like the referendum resolution, this option lacks legal binding power, further complicating the mayor’s decision-making process.