▲ 기자회견하는 임미애 의원 (중앙)     ©

【브레이크뉴스 경북】이성현 기자=대구·경북(TK) 행정통합 특별법이 국회 문턱을 넘지 못한 채 표류하는 가운데, 통합 논의를 이어가기 위한 긴급 토론회마저 무산되면서 지역 사회의 우려가 확산되고 있다. 법안 처리 불발 이후 후속 논의의 장이 사실상 닫히면서 통합 동력 자체가 급격히 약화되는 것 아니냐는 지적이다.

더불어민주당 임미애 의원은 지난 26일 국회에서 기자회견을 열고 대구시와 경북도, 대구시의회가 ‘대구경북 행정통합 특별법 긴급현안토론회’에 불참 의사를 밝혔다고 공개했다. 임 의원은 “통합특별법 무산 이후 해법을 모색하기 위한 자리였지만, 주요 기관들이 참석을 거부했다”며 “지역의 미래가 정당 내부 사정보다 뒷순위로 밀린 것 아니냐는 우려를 낳고 있다”고 말했다.

임 의원에 따르면 경북도의회와 일부 시민사회단체는 참석 의사를 밝혔으나, 통합의 직접 당사자인 광역 자치단체들은 불참을 통보했다. 이와 관련해 대구시와 경북도는 공식 입장을 내지 않았으나, 지역 정치권 안팎에서는 “정당 간 갈등이 여전히 정리되지 않은 상황에서 특정 정당 소속 의원이 주최한 행사에 참여하는 것이 부담스러웠을 것”이라는 해석이 나온다.

행정통합 특별법은 대구광역시와 경상북도를 하나의 광역 단위로 재편하는 내용을 담고 있다. 인구 감소와 산업 공동화, 지방 소멸 위기에 대응하기 위한 구조적 해법으로 논의돼 왔지만, 최근 국회 법제사법위원회 문턱을 넘지 못하면서 추진 일정이 불투명해졌다.

지역 정치권의 책임론도 고개를 들고 있다. 일부에서는 “여야가 정쟁을 반복하는 사이 통합 논의의 골든타임을 놓치고 있다”는 비판이 나온다. 특히 지방의회가 중앙 정치 일정과 당론에 과도하게 영향을 받는 구조가 문제라는 지적도 이어진다. 지난해 경북도의회 다수 상임위원회가 행정사무감사 기간 중 중앙당 행사 참석을 위해 일정을 조정한 사례가 다시 거론되는 이유다.

전문가들은 통합 논의가 정당 대결 구도로 고착될 경우 정책적 검토가 실종될 가능성을 우려한다. 한 행정학 교수는 “행정통합은 찬반을 떠나 지역의 장기 전략과 직결된 사안”이라며 “토론 자체를 정치적 부담으로 간주하는 분위기가 이어지면 공론의 장이 위축될 수밖에 없다”고 말했다.

제도 개선 필요성도 함께 제기된다. 임 의원은 통합특별시 출범을 전제로 중대선거구제 도입을 골자로 한 공직선거법 개정안을 발의한 상태다. 특정 정당 중심의 공천 구조를 완화하지 않으면 통합 이후에도 지방의회의 견제 기능이 약화될 수 있다는 문제의식에서다.

지역 주민들의 시선은 냉담하다. “선거 때는 지역 발전을 약속하더니, 정작 중요한 고비에서는 정당 계산이 먼저냐”는 반응이 적지 않다. 행정통합 특별법이 다시 논의 테이블에 오르기 위해서는 법안 내용 보완과 함께, 정당을 넘어서는 협의 구조를 마련해야 한다는 요구가 커지고 있다.

정치적 유불리를 떠나 대구·경북의 미래 전략을 어떻게 설계할 것인지에 대한 실질적 논의가 복원될 수 있을지 주목된다.

<구글 번역으로 번역한 영문 기사의 전문 입니다. 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 밝힙니다.>

 As the "Administrative Integration Special Act," a crucial issue for Daegu and Gyeongbuk (TK), remains stalled in the National Assembly, even the minimal attempts at dialogue to resolve the situation are being blocked by partisan logic. Local residents are once again frustrated, following last year's disappointment, claiming that local councils and autonomous entities, which should be the driving forces of local autonomy, have become mere "political pawns" who only look to the central party when it comes to local issues.

"I can't go because it's hosted by the Democratic Party"... TK's People Power Party still hasn't come to its senses, prioritizing "party affiliation" over the region's future.

On the 26th, Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Mi-ae (North Gyeongsang Province Party Chairperson) revealed at a press conference at the National Assembly that the Daegu Metropolitan City, North Gyeongsang Province, and Daegu City Council had notified their intention to participate in the "Emergency Current Issues Debate." He revealed, "It was a desperate proposal to rekindle the dying embers of the special integration law, but the shocking response I received was, 'The People Power Party's internal situation is complicated, and I feel uncomfortable attending a Democratic Party lawmaker's event.'" At a press conference at the National Assembly on the 26th, he directly criticized the failure to pass the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Special Act, stating, "The failure to pass the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Special Act is a disaster brought on by the People Power Party's irresponsibility and incompetence."

Representative Lim requested the participation of Daegu City, Gyeongbuk Province, and the Daegu City Council in an emergency discussion on current issues to resolve the situation. However, all key organizations, except the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council and civil society, announced their non-participation. The reasons for their non-participation were shocking. Daegu City and Gyeongbuk Province reportedly responded, "The People Power Party's internal situation is complicated, and I feel uncomfortable attending an event hosted by a Democratic Party lawmaker."

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Daegu City, the de facto driving forces behind the administrative integration, also did not participate. Rep. Lim fiercely criticized the decision, saying, "Is the future of Daegu and Gyeongbuk less important than caring about what's on the minds of the People Power Party?" and "They've proven they lack the ability to think independently to solve problems."

This "party-first" behavior isn't new. Last November, a majority of People Power Party members of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council shocked the local community by traveling en masse to Seoul to attend a rally condemning the central party during the "administrative audit," the most sacred duty of local councils.

At the time, six of the seven standing committees postponed their administrative audit schedules and headed to Yeouido. They traded their once-a-year, golden time to monitor the proper use of taxpayers' money for the central party's "seal of approval." Residents lamented, "We're confused as to whether the members we elected are watchdogs of the provincial government or mobilized personnel for the central party."

The prevailing view is that the reason local councils are so obsessed with central politics, ignoring their constituents, stems from the "party nomination system" and the "one-party monopoly." In a system where the selection of National Assembly members or the central party determines election outcomes, rather than the support of local residents, local council members are merely "votes" needed only during elections, and in other times, the central party's directives are their top priority.

Administrative experts warned, "While the ruling and opposition parties in South Jeolla Province and Gwangju are working together to accelerate integration, TK is wasting this golden opportunity due to the ruling party's self-destruction and incompetence." They added, "Using the region as a pretext for internal power struggles will only accelerate the region's demise."

Residents of the city and province said, "They bowed their heads during elections, but now they're only concerned with the party's favor."

As this news spread, public sentiment among local residents rapidly cooled. A resident of Dong-gu, Daegu (58) fiercely criticized the situation, saying, "During elections, provincial governors swear they'll sacrifice their lives for their regions, but when it comes to matters of life and death for their regions, can they say a word without their party's permission?" He added, "We elected local officials, not political party pawns."

Administrative experts are also expressing concern. A professor of public administration stated, "Administrative integration is a long-awaited project for the region, discussed since 2019, and the last straw to overcome the crisis of extinction." He added, "Rejecting even the discussion due to political ideology or internal party dynamics is unqualified for an administrative leader and an act of betrayal of the local residents."

Assemblyman Lim used this incident as an opportunity to reiterate the urgency of "political reform." He argued that without reforming the current electoral system, in which a particular party's nomination wins elections, even after the launch of the integrated special city, the evils of an "imperial mayor" and a "rubber-wheeled council" that cannot check and balance him will only worsen.

Representative Lim is proposing an alternative by proposing a revision to the Public Official Election Act, which would introduce a multi-member district system that would elect three to five members of the National Assembly to the Unified Metropolitan City Council.

It seems we now need to engage in a self-deprecating, self-reflection, asking ourselves and answering the questions. Why weren't we outraged when local council members neglected administrative audits and went to Seoul, or when they refused to participate in discussions on local issues using "political party" as an excuse? To end politics that ignores local communities, there are growing voices calling for residents to prioritize "sincerity toward the region," not "party affiliation," as the primary criterion for their votes.