Four Buddhist-affiliated Local Heads from Democratic Party Call for Boycott of Interior Ministry's Vision Forum

Four local leaders affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea have issued a statement urging Democratic Party-affiliated municipal government heads to refrain from participating in a 'Vision Forum for Local Heads' that the Ministry of Interior and Safety plans to hold on the 6th, with the provincial administration training institute director presiding over the event.

Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young, along with Goyang Mayor Choi Sung, Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, and Hwaseong Mayor Chae In-seok, released a statement on the 4th stating, "The local finance restructuring plan contains deceptive content that blames the financial deterioration of local finances on six Buddhist-affiliated municipal governments," and adding, "Underlying this is an intent to manipulate and control all local governments in the palm of the central authority's hand."

The local heads further stated, "The Ministry of Interior and Safety is preoccupied with covering up the truth and is focusing on controlling and inducing municipal governments as a super superior,"

They also criticized the initiative, saying, "Under the pretext of cultivating leadership among local heads, they seek to lecture local government heads who are representatives of their communities." They characterized this as "a clear manifestation of regression in local autonomy and decentralization and a ploy intended to reinforce a subservient relationship between the Ministry of Interior and Safety and local governments."

The local heads called on municipal leaders to join the boycott of the 'Vision Forum for Local Heads,' asserting that "the only way to break the Ministry of Interior and Safety's bad habit of controlling and manipulating local governments nationwide as if they were directing elementary school homework is through unity and decisive action."