Growing Backlash Over Regional Preference Index Calculations

[Anchor]

Protests from local governments are growing over the government's calculation of the regional preference index. Particularly strong discontent has erupted in Inje County, where residents traveled to the National Assembly to urge a readjustment and reexamination of the index.

G1 Broadcasting reporter Kim Yi-gon has the story.

[Reporter]

Inje residents gathered on the road in front of the National Assembly.

They chanted slogans and even shaved their heads in protest.

They raised their voices in outrage, stating they cannot accept why Inje County was classified as a population vitality plus region rather than being redesignated as a population-declining region, and why it was assigned to the second tier of the regional preference index.

[Choi Sang-ki / Inje County Mayor: Thanks to your support, we will surely overcome this crisis.]

Kim Do-hyung, chairperson of the Inje County Council, also joined the head-shaving protest.

Some 650 Inje residents argued that local realities were not reflected, urging the additional designation of Inje as a population-declining region and its adjustment to the fourth tier of the regional preference index.

[Kim Do-hyung / Chairperson, Inje County Council: Due to the special characteristics of being a military region and a slight population increase driven by military families, we are suffering massive damage. I truly hope this gets resolved smoothly and our message is delivered to the government.]

They argue that the actual crisis of population decline has been masked by statistical illusions that include military families.

Residents also claimed clear reverse discrimination, pointing out that Inje County, a border region with a population of 30,000, has long suffered sacrifices due to military facilities and environmental regulations.

[Lee Yang-soo / Member of the National Assembly, People Power Party: Rather than reducing gaps between regions, this is trapping even the regional preference index in shackles of disadvantage. Is this the balanced development the government talks about?]

Inje County maintains that under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's classification, it will inevitably face clear financial disadvantages.

For now, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has decided to accept comments on the proposed enactment of the operational management regulations for the regional preference index until today (November 2).

Inje County Mayor Choi Sang-ki plans to meet directly with the Minister of the Interior and Safety to demand a readjustment while escalating protests and calls for action.

(Video reporting: Park Jong-hyun, Shim Duk-heon / G1 Broadcasting)

Kim Yi-gon, G1 Broadcasting
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.