Democratic Party Officials Emphasize Collaboration with Central Government for Local Growth

Officials from the Democratic Party who were elected in the June 3 local elections reiterated the need for local-led growth and expressed their commitment to realizing the government's key initiative, '5 Extremes and 3 Specials.'

During a workshop for newly elected local leaders held at the National Assembly on June 21, Jung Cheong-rae, the leader of the Democratic Party, told attendees, "The mandate given by the public in this election is clear: to lay the groundwork for normalizing the Republic of Korea and to strongly support the governance of the Lee Jae-myung administration."

He added, "We will humbly accept the harsh criticisms and feedback from the public during the election process and will do our utmost to win the hearts of the people with the lowest posture."

Jung emphasized that the success of the government's policies, rooted in the sovereignty of the people, depends on the shoulders of the newly elected officials, stating, "It is your responsibility to open the door to local-led growth that allows all regions to prosper, and the party will spare no support in this endeavor."

Also present at the event was Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who is expected to compete with Jung in the upcoming party convention on August 17.

Kim remarked, "We are at a historical turning point now that the elections are over. While the results are not 100% satisfactory, I believe we have established the conditions to realize local-led growth under a government of popular sovereignty."

He also pointedly stated, "With four years remaining, what can we achieve if the central government and the president are shaken?" This comment is interpreted as a response to the emerging 'Lee-Jung conflict' following the local elections.

Kim added, "The party and the government must work together to create a golden era, and I will do my best, even in a modest capacity, when I return to the party," hinting at his candidacy for the party convention.

Other newly elected officials, including Choo Mi-ae, the governor of Gyeonggi Province, Jeon Jae-soo, the mayor of Busan, and Min Hyung-bae, the mayor of Gwangju in Jeollanam-do, also voiced the importance of local-led growth.

Son Hwa-jeong, the newly elected mayor of Yeongjong District in Incheon, and Seo Tae-kyung, the newly elected mayor of Sasang District in Busan, read a resolution on behalf of the elected officials, stating their commitment to closely cooperate with the central government for the successful implementation of the '5 Extremes and 3 Specials' initiative of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

The Democratic Party achieved victories in 12 regions (Gyeonggi, Incheon, Busan, Ulsan, Gwangju, Jeollabuk-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Daejeon, Sejong, Gangwon, and Jeju) in this local election, laying the groundwork for the '5 Extremes and 3 Specials' initiative of the Lee Jae-myung administration. However, the party's loss of the mayoral seat in the capital city of Seoul has led some to view this as a 'half victory.'

The '5 Extremes and 3 Specials' initiative aims to alleviate the concentration of power in the Seoul metropolitan area and promote regional balanced growth by restructuring and supporting the nation around five mega-regions and three special autonomous cities.