I Became Park Jeong-ui’s Nephew - Chapter 353



Only Krnovel

He became Park Jeong-ui’s nephew. – (353)

[The greatest goal of independent Korea was to increase economic efficiency through urbanization. Local governments centered on agricultural societies were merely obstacles to the authority of the government, and this served as a decisive basis for not allowing local autonomy.]

This is America,

Scholars have dug into the reasons why Korea still does not allow local autonomy.

A characteristic of Korean society during the Japanese colonial period was the strong influence of local leaders.

Although Japan had no intention of recognizing Korea’s autonomy, surprisingly, it did seem to allow each region a certain degree of autonomy.

In 1922, an administrative training center was established in Gyeongseong.

During the period of cultural rule, specific instructions were given by the Governor-General.

[In order to cultivate local power, it is reasonable and convenient to delegate administrative authority to local governments. Local autonomy will be implemented at an appropriate time, and a council will be established in each province, and a council will be established in each department and township. Some of the members of the provincial council will be elected, and the rest will be appointed.]

In fact, one-third of the members of the provincial council were appointed directly by the governor.

So how were the remaining 2/3 elected?

Although they were elected through an election, only 1,300 Japanese and 1,200 Koreans participated in the election, and it goes without saying that these 1,200 Korean voters were people who collaborated with the Japanese.

The members of the council thus elected were 130 Japanese and 126 Korean.

It is the same as pro-Japanese landowners in local governments securing a lifelong career in their constituencies.

The problem is that this has held back Korean society even after liberation.

If local autonomy were implemented, pro-Japanese forces would have enjoyed great influence and power within their districts as before.

Is that the desirable direction for Korea to move forward?

Korea has abolished local autonomy and pursued a strong bureaucratic society, turning members of the National Assembly into puppets that follow the government.

Then, wouldn’t it be okay to have local autonomy now?

That’s ridiculous. If that were the case, the local leaders would create their own territories and wear the hats for the rest of their lives.

In addition, Korea is divided into the mainland and overseas territories.

Allowing local autonomy would risk turning the continent’s 600 million people into their own kingdoms.

So, Korea must maintain an even stronger centralized system, and the moment it allows local autonomy, it will only open the door for separatists.

Are those the only problems with local autonomy?

Those local government heads can just quit after 4-5 years, but it would be a mistake to think that these people will engage in responsible politics. There are countless cases where they just kill time and then advance to the National Assembly.

Of course, there are those who emphasize the efficiency of local autonomy, citing the United States as an example, but we must keep in mind that the reality is a little different.

The local governments in the United States are made up of counties (3,000), New England towns (1,500), townships (15,000), and special districts (40,000), all of which are not autonomous entities.

For example, a county is the largest local government unit in the United States,

However, the county is not an elected mayor or council, but rather a local administrative body created to meet the needs of the state.

In Korea, when we think of local autonomy, we usually think of the concept of local government heads or local councils being elected and engaging in politics, but in the US, that is not the case, and development plans cannot even be made without financial support or bureaucratic support from the state.

This is the real reason so many American cities can’t escape the countryside, and why the American middle is still so empty.

Literally, the state’s administrative power does not extend to the local government at all.

This is why the majority of the population in the United States is concentrated on the East and West coasts, yet it seems like the United States is doing well in implementing local autonomy.

While rural areas in the United States still depend entirely on the states, urbanized areas have enacted laws that allow cities to have legal personality and maintain their own offices, organizations, and finances.

What about New England towns?

They claim to be hosting meetings in which all residents participate by introducing a direct democracy system, but in reality, no one attends these meetings except for civil servants and their families – the stakeholders.

The number is at most a few dozen to a few hundred people. This is the reality of local government in the United States.

Should we still have illusions about local autonomy in the United States?

The ideal local autonomy that Koreans think of is rather similar to Japanese local autonomy. If we look at history, wasn’t local autonomy in Korea started by Japan?

The Meiji government of Japan consolidated over 70,000 villages into 3,000.

In fact, this is not local autonomy, but rather a consolidation of administrative districts to effectively govern each region.

The concept of taking funds from the central government and investing them in local governments also emerged at this time. If it were true local autonomy, wouldn’t it be right for local people to gather in one place, exchange opinions, and do things on their own, like in the United States?

But why does each group leader receive government instructions and even try to secure funds?

In that respect, the local autonomy that Korea thinks of is a concept that has been thoroughly distorted and transformed to suit Japan’s tastes, and it cannot be said to be true local autonomy.

This is why Korea rejects local autonomy.

All administrative power rests with the central bureaucracy, and the remaining lower bureaucracy has only the right to execute those orders.

This is why local leaders want local autonomy.

He has no knowledge and all he has is money and land, but he’s causing a fuss by saying he wants to try his hand at politics.

But, it is impossible as long as the Korean leader is alive.

There were also voices within the party wary of local autonomy.

* * *

“Are you there?”

“who are you?”

“My name is Kim Hak-cheol and I live in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do.”

This is Daedeok-gun, the capital of Korea.

Mrs. Kim Ho-nam was nervous about the suspicious noises loitering outside the door.

This is the first time I’ve heard of a person named Kim Hak-cheol. Her husband, who once served as prime minister, is no longer with her, and there are hardly any outsiders who cross the threshold of this house.

My son, who became a politician, has been independent for a long time.

What business would an outsider have in a house like this?

It was during the general election period, so there was a certain smell in the air.

“What brings you here?”

“I have something to say to Mrs. Kim Ho-nam.”

“So, what’s the matter? Please speak.”

The tension that continues across the front door,

An outsider, tired of my own ignorance, spoke first.

“I am currently doing business in Gumi.”

“What business?”

“As you know, Madam, Gumi City is a historic place that produced three great men of this country. I would like to build a museum to commemorate those three men, and I would like to ask for your cooperation.”

“… A museum? What do you mean?”

Mrs. Kim Ho-nam responded with amazement at the following explanation.

Gumi City is where the history of the Republic of Korea began. Park Sang-ui, the former president of the Dong-A Ilbo, is a hero who led the independence movement and the father of the current Korean leader.

Although his younger brother, Park Jeong-ui, was treated as a traitor and fell from grace, he left an indelible mark on Korean history.

From Gumi City’s perspective, it is a natural development to use the Goryeong Park family politically, and only then can the local leaders make their voices heard.

If that happens, won’t the people of Gumi City enter central politics?

Mrs. Kim Ho-nam, who saw through his true intentions, laughed.

“You must have a lot of money, seeing as you’re running such a useless business.”

“Tch… A useless business? Why are you saying that?”

“Why do you keep telling us what to do with our family problems? We will take care of it ourselves whether we build a statue or a museum.”

The Korean leader erected a statue in Gumi City saying, “I am great.”

Of course, my husband was a great man who pressured a singer named Shin Jung-hyun to write a song praising the Goryeong Park family while he was still alive.

But Shin Jung-hyun refused,

Instead, he indirectly praised the achievement.

⁕ We were born on this earth and will live in this beautiful place.

⁕ I am with that sea where the bright sun shines and white waves overflow.

⁕ How good it is, we will sing here with you, my love

Here, the sun and the sea symbolize the Korean people or the Goryeong Park clan, which is the academic consensus.

But don’t you think it’s a bit embarrassing that politicians pressure singers to write songs like that?

This incident also remains as a dark part of my husband’s history. It happened 28 years ago, so it is almost forgotten now.

But at this time, why are we building a museum to praise the achievements of the Goryeong Park family?

It will only leave another dark mark on the history of the Goryeong Park family.

He threw cold water on the door, saying it was bad luck.

“Just try building a museum!! I’ll go and throw shit at it!! Where the hell are you so unlucky to find something like that?!!”

The outsider who was treated coldly ran away as fast as he could.

However, Mrs. Kim Ho-nam, who was still angry, poured a bucket of salt in front of the front door, and after that, no outsider tried to cross the threshold of this house without a trace.

***

“Is this the Goryeong Park Museum?”

“Yes, I heard that in Gumi.”

“No… who would do something like that?”

“They’re the local leaders, right? Isn’t it obvious even without looking?”

This is Gyeongseong,

Park Myeong-ui, the representative of the Joongdo Party, frowned at the news coming from below.

Gumi has been my father’s political base for generations, so naturally, there are still forces that follow him.

The problem is that Park Myeong-ui has no intention of inheriting his father’s power, and he ran in the general election in Gyeongseong, not Gumi.

Declaring that he would take a completely different path from his father,

But what does it mean that something like this happened in Gumi? It means that there are still people who try to exert influence based on their local constituencies.

What is needed more than ever at times like these is the representation of members of the National Assembly. Members of the National Assembly should represent the entire country, not just their region.

The electoral districts will be consolidated as much as possible, and with the general election just four months away, the revision of the law has been expedited.

A method of giving more votes to areas with larger populations and taking them away from areas with smaller populations.

Of course, areas with small populations will object, but cutting up constituencies like minced meat just because they represent the region will only deepen the isolation of the region.

“If this gets revealed, it will be a disgrace to our region!!”

“Cover it!! Cover it!!”

Not long ago, an incident occurred that proved its harmful effects.

In a certain region with a population of 30,000, a gang rape incident of a middle school girl occurred, but the local government officials and politicians thoroughly covered up the incident, citing the fact that it could tarnish the image of the region.

0 criminals were punished. Can this happen in Korea?

Even the local people made all sorts of speculations because the victim was from another region.

“Why did a girl from another region come here?!!”

“You came here on your own two feet and now you’re saying you were sexually assaulted?!”

Anyone with common sense will feel dizzy just hearing it.

What on earth is this area?

Eventually, the central government directly intervened and investigated the case, and it was found that there were more than 90 suspects involved in the crime.

There are 14 politicians and local leaders who covered this up.

Everyone was treated like a bug and put on death row.

The city where the problem occurred was deleted, literally erased from Korea.

It would be best to erase a city where these people, who are irrational and emphasize the local reputation rather than the seriousness of crime, gather their attention.

The administrative districts that disappeared like that,

This incident showed an example of how shallow regionalism is punished.

If you want your hometown to disappear, just keep hushing each other and cover up the stinky incidents. Do you think there won’t be any more cases like this in the future?

The Moderate Party set about the task of erasing both regionalism and insularity from Korean society, and with the Women’s Peace Party agreeing, regionalism in Korea was uprooted.