Daejeon-South Chungcheong merger proposal raises concerns over sidelining residents, deepening urban‑rural divides

The Daejeon-South Chungcheong Province merger initiative is poised to become the starting point of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s response to Korea’s demographic decline and deepening regional imbalance. However, civic groups and experts warn that the rushed, top-down push risks sidelining residents and lacks sufficient social consensus and legal safeguards for integrating two very different regions — one largely urban, and the other more rural. Lee made the suggestion at a meeting with ruling Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers from Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province, Thursday. He said the merger "could open the way to solving overconcentration and achieving balanced growth." While acknowledging that it is not easy for local governments to merge, he suggested the merger take place before the June 2026 local elections so that voters in the region can choose the head of the integrated municipality. The push revives earlier "megacity" and "super-regional cooperation" plans floated by previous administrations, as population and infrastructure remain heavily concentrated in Seo