The local elections held on June 3 concluded with a voter turnout of 44,649,908. While this figure may seem like just a statistic, it encapsulates the current and future challenges facing South Korea, including urban concentration, regional extinction, aging populations, low birth rates, industrial transitions, and the AI revolution.
During the election period, political parties competed fiercely over victory and defeat, and the media focused on who won and who lost. However, the essence of local elections is not merely an extension of central politics; they are elections that determine the future of local communities. This process allows South Koreans to choose whether to reinforce the dominance of the metropolitan area or to foster a nation where regions grow together.
The election is over, and now the focus must shift from results to implementation.
The issue of regional extinction is not just a local problem; it is a national concern. The voter registration reflects the reality of South Korea: Gyeonggi Province has 11,878,997 voters, while Seoul has 8,319,134. Voters from the metropolitan area account for over 45% of the total. In contrast, many regions face existential threats due to youth outmigration and declining birth rates.
Regional extinction is no longer a distant concern. Some areas have seen elementary schools close, while others lack maternity wards, and some universities struggle to fill their enrollment quotas. Young people born in these regions leave for the metropolitan area to pursue higher education and employment, and those who leave often do not return.
This vicious cycle means that regional crises soon become national crises. The diminishing growth potential of South Korea can be traced to this issue. While people, businesses, and capital flock to the metropolitan area, regions are losing vitality. Viewed from a national perspective, it is akin to a plane flying with only one engine running.
The true significance of this local election lies here. Residents did not merely elect mayors and governors; they chose a survival strategy for their regions.
However, we must face the harsh reality. Even though local elections are crucial, local governments alone cannot prevent regional extinction. Currently, South Korea's financial and industrial policy powers remain concentrated in the central government.
The designation of large national industrial complexes is heavily influenced by the central government. The national AI strategy is also determined by the central government. Establishing semiconductor special zones, power grids for data centers, and regional transportation networks is challenging without central government support. A change in local leadership through elections does not automatically revitalize the local economy.
Thus, balanced development is a challenge that both local and central governments must address together. The real test for the Lee Jae-myung administration lies here. Every past government has promised balanced development, yet the concentration in the metropolitan area has only intensified. Now, action is needed, not just declarations.
The AI revolution could present new opportunities. The Chungcheong region could develop into a hub for semiconductors and AI data centers, Jeollabuk-do could focus on physical AI and agricultural biotechnology, Gwangju and Jeollanam-do could become centers for AI semiconductors and future mobility, while Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam-do could foster manufacturing AI and innovations in shipbuilding and defense.
However, achieving this requires a genuine decentralization of significant portions of industrial policy, budget, and regulatory authority to local governments. Maintaining a structure where the central government holds all the power while claiming to support local revitalization is clearly limited.
Local leaders must evolve from mere administrators to strategists. The responsibilities of local governments do not diminish. Even under the same systems and authorities, there are local leaders who achieve results and those who do not.
In the past, the role of local government leaders was primarily administrative, focusing on budget execution and handling complaints. However, leaders in the AI era must change. They need to attract businesses, engage with investors, and connect universities and research institutions. Analyzing regional strengths and linking them to future industries is essential.
Today, competition is not only between nations but also between cities. Successful cities around the world did not grow by chance; they had long-term strategies and bold implementations.
Of course, cities like Singapore and Dubai cannot be directly compared to South Korean local governments, as they possess much stronger financial and autonomous powers. However, even under similar conditions, there are leaders who achieve better results. Ultimately, the success of regional development depends on the combination of central government support and the execution capabilities of local governments.
There is a recurring debate during local elections: the claim that "infrastructure projects are outdated." In the past, regions competed to build airports, stadiums, and exhibition centers, but many of these projects have become burdensome liabilities.
However, we should not dismiss infrastructure itself. AI data centers require power grids, semiconductor factories need water and roads, and the robotics industry needs test beds and research complexes. Ultimately, future industries will also grow on new forms of infrastructure.
The key is not the scale of infrastructure but its purpose. Does it create productivity? Does it build a regional industrial ecosystem? Does it attract youth and businesses? These criteria are crucial. While we should avoid showy construction projects, we must invest boldly in infrastructure for future industries.
The election is over, but the competition for the future has just begun. The choice of 44,649,908 voters goes beyond merely changing local power; it poses a question about what kind of nation South Korea will become.
For the nation to thrive, regions must also prosper. A country that only sees growth in the metropolitan area is not sustainable. Even in the AI era, regions should not merely be recipients of support but should become new growth hubs. Achieving this requires both the transfer of authority from the central government and innovation from local governments.
Revitalizing regions cannot be accomplished by merely changing local leaders. Authority must also be decentralized. True local autonomy will only be realized when changes in personnel through elections coincide with systemic changes through decentralization. The winners of this local election are not just specific political parties but all 44,649,908 voters who headed to the polls, concerned about the future of South Korea.
The ball is now in the court of the political arena and local governments. The public has made its choice. What remains is to prove the results.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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