In the Chungnam gubernatorial election, Democratic Party candidate Park Soo-hyun and People Power Party candidate Kim Tae-heum engaged in a heated debate on administrative integration and debt issues on the 27th. Park accused Kim of increasing debt during his tenure as governor, while Kim argued that the situation arose from the initiatives of former Democratic Governor Yang Seung-jo and was not a significant problem.
During the debate organized by the Election Commission, Park stated, "Kim promotes a strong Chungnam, but it is fundamentally a pile of debt," describing the situation as "a case of external appearances masking internal issues." He emphasized, "This is a clear failure of financial management and incompetence. The quality of life for residents has stagnated, and the tax burden has only increased."
In contrast, Kim claimed, "I have dynamically changed the previously stagnant governance," asserting that he increased national funding from 8 trillion won to 12 trillion won and tripled investment attraction from 14 trillion won to 49 trillion won.
When Park acknowledged the increase in national funding but noted that 1.3 trillion won of that increase occurred under the Lee Jae-myung administration, Kim countered, "The increase to 1.3 trillion won is due to the momentum in Chungnam governance, and if you say it otherwise, civil servants will feel immense discontent."
The candidates also debated the failed administrative integration between Daejeon and Chungnam. Park stated, "The failure of integration has cost us 20 trillion won. Gwangju and Jeonnam receive 5 trillion won annually in financial support during President Lee Jae-myung's term, gaining administrative status comparable to Seoul. I propose making administrative integration a party policy, passing the integration law, and holding a unified mayoral election in 2028."
However, Kim argued, "For local autonomy to be effective, the transfer of finances and authority must occur first. If this is not achieved, it could be a disservice to the residents." He added that if these conditions are met, integration could be possible within a year.
The candidates also disagreed on how to secure the 20 trillion won. Kim accused Park of engaging in "fear marketing," questioning how 20 trillion won could be secured without tax reform. Park responded, "The government's financial support of 20 trillion won over four years is additional funding unrelated to national and local taxes, so there is no reason not to accept it."
Both candidates acknowledged that the declaration of martial law on December 3 was a mistake, but they differed on the issue of impeachment. Park asked, "Former President Yoon Suk-yeol was recognized as having committed insurrection in the first trial, and all participants received prison sentences. Why do you still maintain that impeachment should not happen or ask what should be done now?" Kim replied, "The Democratic Party pushed for insurrection before the trial results were out. The president has constitutional authority to declare martial law. At that time, I believed there were other methods, such as an orderly resignation."
When Kim asked if Park agreed with the special prosecution law for dismissing charges, Park stated, "If there is fabricated prosecution, I believe dismissing charges is just. However, I have clearly stated that granting the president the authority to dismiss charges is a different matter."
Park also addressed personal controversies, stating, "The leader of the main opposition party has posted about my private life. It is false that I did not undergo a lie detector test; I voluntarily underwent one."
However, both candidates agreed that strategies tailored to local needs are essential for relocating public institutions. They emphasized the need to align with key initiatives such as carbon neutrality, acknowledging serious regional disparities within Chungcheong Province that require resolution.
Finally, Park expressed hope that during the remaining election period, the focus would be on policies and the future of Chungnam rather than negative campaigning. Kim declared that despite experiencing absurdities, such as public broadcasting cutting his opening remarks and the Election Commission failing to post his campaign materials, he would not be deterred.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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