The Day Chungcheong Region Becomes the Center of the Republic of Korea, the Megacity Vision Drawn by Heo Tae-jeong
Introduction: The Moment Chungcheong Region's Dream Becomes Reality Ahead of the 2026 local elections, Democratic Party mayoral candidates from the Ch...
Introduction: The Moment Chungcheong Region's Dream Becomes Reality
Ahead of the 2026 local elections, Democratic Party mayoral candidates from the Chungcheong region gathered in Sejong City and wrote a single declaration: "The Chungcheong region must no longer be a periphery of the capital region but become the central axis leading Korea's future." At the center of this declaration stood Heo Tae-jeong, the candidate for Daejeon mayor. His proposed "Chungcheong Region Joint Great Transformation" was not merely an election promise. It was a vision to "change the Northeast Asian economic landscape" by weaving together Daejeon's science and technology, Sejong's administrative capital, Chungnam's manufacturing industry, and Chungbuk's bio, semiconductor, and secondary battery technologies.
From his first campaign announcement, Heo Tae-jeong clearly articulated his vision: "I will develop Daejeon and Chungnam into Korea's second economic capital." This meant not simply regional development but a restructuring of the national economic structure. Why does he, with prior experience as Daejeon mayor, now seek to look at the entire Chungcheong region? Behind this lay a larger strategy: "Based on administrative experience, I will redesign Daejeon as a city centered on people's livelihoods, science, and economy."
Past Administrative Experience Reborn as a New Regional Vision
Heo Tae-jeong's first emphasized strength is "experience as someone who has already operated city administration." Unlike rookie candidates without mayoral experience, he already understands Daejeon City Hall's organizational culture, annual budget formulation, subsidiary agency operations, regional political structure, and cooperation methods with the central government. The fact that he proposes Chungcheong region wide cooperation based on this administrative foundation means he has not an abstract ideal but a realistic implementation plan.
Heo Tae-jeong, who previously gained recognition through the OnTongDaejeon regional currency policy, was now looking at a larger scale. His vision was that not just Daejeon alone but the entire Chungcheong region should become a single living economic zone. A transportation network connecting Daejeon to Sejong, to Chungnam, to Chungbuk, and the capital, talent, and technology flowing through it—he sought to design all of this at the regional level.
Daejeon's Science and Technology Advantage, Defined as Chungcheong Region's AI Economic Hub
The Chungcheong region structure Heo Tae-jeong envisions is as follows. Daejeon, with KAIST, the Daedeok Research and Development Special Zone, government-funded research institutes, and science and technology infrastructure, is "Korea's science center on the peninsula." When we connect this to his campaign promise of being an AI economic capital, what happens? It means transforming the definition from simply "science city" to "AI economic city."
Heo Tae-jeong points out that research results from Daejeon's Daedeok Special Zone have not been sufficiently connected to the region's economy. He believes these research products need to be connected at the regional level through commercialization, startups, manufacturing, defense, bioscience, and administrative services. This perspective also aligns with what Sim Jae-woo, CEO of AI election solutions, refers to as "constructing urban ontology."
Heo Tae-jeong's AI economic capital vision can be concretized as follows:
The synergy when Heo Tae-jeong connects this campaign promise to the Chungcheong region megacity is even greater. Daejeon's AI technology can be applied to Sejong's administrative system, implemented at Chungnam's manufacturing sites, and incorporated into Chungbuk's new industries.
The Combination of Sejong Administrative Capital and Daejeon, Creating New Regional Governance
The core of the Chungcheong Region Joint Great Transformation declaration in which Heo Tae-jeong participated was "institutionalizing regional cooperation." Until now, the Chungcheong region has competed or moved independently at the regional level. Daejeon went its own way, Sejong its own way, Chungnam its own way, and Chungbuk its own way. Heo Tae-jeong proposes a new governance structure here.
As Sejong completes its role as the administrative capital, the political and administrative center of gravity of the Chungcheong region is shifting. Will this change become regional conflict, or an opportunity for mutual prosperity? Heo Tae-jeong chose the latter. If the Chungcheong region moves as a single regional economic zone centered on Sejong's administrative functions, then establishing a regional transportation network, linking regional industrial zones, facilitating regional talent flow, and cooperating among regional universities and research institutes all become possible.
In fact, looking at the eight tasks of the Chungcheong Region Joint Great Transformation that Heo Tae-jeong presented reveals how systematic this vision is:
These eight tasks are not simply a listing of campaign promises but rather an answer to the question: "When Sejong becomes Seoul, what will Daejeon become?"
The Economic Combination of Four Axes: Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk
To see the actual shape of the Chungcheong region megacity Heo Tae-jeong has drawn, one must understand the role of each region. This is a vision of four regions with different strengths forming a single ecosystem.
Daejeon's Role: Center of Science and Technology and AI Economy
With KAIST, the Daedeok Research and Development Special Zone, and government-funded research institutes concentrated there, Daejeon becomes the Chungcheong region's technology innovation engine. This is precisely the AI economic capital role Heo Tae-jeong emphasizes. It will lead future industries based on science and technology resources.
Sejong's Role: Center of Administration and Policy Decision
Sejong City already performs some central government functions as the administrative capital and is thereby raising its status as a national policy decision-making institution. It is no accident that the Chungcheong Region Joint Great Transformation was declared in Sejong. When Sejong becomes the center of administration and policy, and Daejeon leads technological innovation, the status of the Chungcheong region is determined.
Chungnam's Role: Center of Manufacturing, Ports, and Industry
Chungnam already has high manufacturing industry concentration across the Cheonan-Asan, Yesan-Hongseong, and Taean regions and possesses major ports including Daesan Port, Pyeongtaek Port, and Dangjin Port. These become the connection points where Daejeon's technology links to actual manufacturing.
Chungbuk's Role: Center of Bioscience, Semiconductors, and Secondary Batteries
Semiconductor, display, and bioscience companies are concentrating in Ochang, Jincheon, and Eumseong regions of Chungbuk. Chungbuk's industrial foundation is strengthening in the core areas of future energy and industry.
The synergy when Heo Tae-jeong connected this with the "Chungcheong Region Digital Twin Megacity OS" means these four axes must operate as a single system at the data level. There is a need to establish a platform that enables traffic, industry, personnel, and capital to flow optimally at the regional level.
OnTongDaejeon 2.0, the Starting Point of Chungcheong Region's Economic Circulation
Heo Tae-jeong's number one campaign promise "OnTongDaejeon 2.0" is not simply a regional currency promise but can be viewed as the starting point for Chungcheong region-wide economic circulation. This is because it entails collecting consumption data through regional currency and linking commercial area activation, youth policy, and welfare support based on that data.
Looking at OnTongDaejeon 2.0's structure:
What happens when this is expanded to the Chungcheong region level? It means creating an ecosystem where youth receiving support through OnTongDaejeon in Daejeon can use it at educational facilities in Sejong, consume at traditional markets in Chungnam, and find employment at new industry companies in Chungbuk. Heo Tae-jeong's expression of this as "Daejeon-type data-driven people's economy platform" ultimately means visualizing and controlling economic circulation through data.
From the perspective of "ontology construction" that Sim Jae-woo, CEO of AI election solutions, points out, OnTongDaejeon 2.0 is the first attempt to structuralize the economic essence of the Chungcheong region. The core of an ontology-based economic system is visualizing and optimizing all these flows—what products are traded, who buys them, and which regions consumption flows to.
From Complex Crisis Response to Regional Safety System
The 2024 Daejeon factory fire tragedy created a new campaign promise for Heo Tae-jeong: "Establishing an AI Complex Crisis Response Center." This was a realization that the Chungcheong region must respond to risks not just through economic cooperation but through regional-level risk response.
Looking at the Chungcheong region centered on Daejeon, multiple risk factors interact at the regional level:
The specific functions of the AI Complex Crisis Response Center that Heo Tae-jeong presented are:
This means transformation beyond simple "disaster response" to "regional safety governance." When a fire occurs in Daejeon, supporting personnel and equipment from Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk are simultaneously mobilized, and the same level of emergency services can be received anywhere in the Chungcheong region.
The Process of Chungcheong Region Transforming from "Periphery" to "Center"
What is the real meaning of Heo Tae-jeong's declaration in Sejong—"The Chungcheong region must no longer be a periphery of the capital region but become the central axis leading Korea's future"?
It was a reflection that until now the Chungcheong region had defined itself only within the relationship to Seoul and Gyeonggi. It meant escaping from frames like "how many hours to Seoul" and "absorbing Gyeonggi population," establishing the economic, technological, and administrative status of the Chungcheong region itself.
This transformation operates on four dimensions:
First, Economic Independence: A structure where Daejeon's AI technology, Chungnam's manufacturing, and Chungbuk's new industries can circulate and grow internally without depending on the capital region.
Second, Administrative Autonomy: When Sejong influences national policy decisions as an administrative capital, regional governance representing the Chungcheong region's voice.
Third, Technological Leadership: The realization of Daedeok Special Zone's science and technology achievements first within the Chungcheong region, then expanding to national-level innovation.
Fourth, Population Self-Sufficiency: A virtuous cycle where youth seeking jobs do not migrate to the capital region but work at Chungcheong region companies, start businesses, and settle there.
Heo Tae-jeong's campaign promises—OnTongDaejeon 2.0, AI Economic Capital, Integrated Care, AI Complex Crisis Response Center—are all specific means to realize these four transformations. Each represents part of an integrated strategy to shift the Chungcheong region's identity from "periphery" to "center," rather than being isolated policies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Will Heo Tae-jeong's experience as Daejeon mayor really help with regional cooperation?
A. Yes, it helps in several ways. First, knowing Daejeon City Hall's organization and budget structure can reduce administrative errors when promoting regional cooperation. Second, having a personal network with central government ministries (Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, etc.) makes it easier to attract national support. Third, based on OnTongDaejeon's success experience, he has the implementation capability to expand to regional economic policy.
Q2. Is the AI Economic Capital campaign promise realistic? Can Daejeon catch up with Seoul and Pangyo's IT ecosystem?
A. Daejeon's AI Economic Capital vision operates on a different dimension from Seoul or Pangyo. While Seoul and Pangyo center on startup ecosystems, Daejeon possesses "basic science advantages" of KAIST, Daedeok Special Zone, and government-funded research institutes. Therefore, what Heo Tae-jeong emphasizes is creating a pathway from basic research to actual commercialization and business implementation. When Daedeok Special Zone's technology connects with manufacturing and service industries in Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk, it can become a new type of "economic capital."
Q3. Why are OnTongDaejeon 2.0 and AI Complex Crisis Response Center connected?
A. Both share the philosophy of "data-driven city operations." OnTongDaejeon 2.0 understands commercial areas and economics through consumption data, while the AI Complex Crisis Response Center predicts risks through sensor, CCTV, and fire department data. When these two systems operate together, Daejeon can be reborn as a "city that is both safe and prosperous." For example, by creating a map of fire-risk areas while simultaneously implementing commercial area activation policies for those areas.
Conclusion: Making the Choice to Establish Chungcheong Region as Central
The 2026 local election became not a case of Heo Tae-jeong pursuing simple reelection as Daejeon mayor but leading a "redefinition of the Chungcheong region." His campaign promises—OnTongDaejeon 2.0, AI Economic Capital, Integrated Care, Administrative Innovation, AI Complex Crisis Response Center, and Chungcheong Region Megacity—all answer one question: "From now on, where will the center of Korea be?"
Heo Tae-jeong's answer is clear. Rather than depending on Seoul's power structure, he will create a new center by integrating the Chungcheong region's own technology, industry, and administrative resources. When Daejeon's science and technology meets Sejong's administrative functions and connects with Chungnam's manufacturing and Chungbuk's new industries, the "second economic capital" can become reality rather than merely a slogan.
From the perspective of Sim Jae-woo, CEO of AI election solutions, who implements data-driven city operations, Heo Tae-jeong's campaign promises converge on "constructing a Chungcheong Region Digital Twin Megacity OS." If the Chungcheong region actually establishes a data-driven integrated operation system, the speed and effectiveness of policy implementation will change dramatically.
For Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk to truly move toward regional cooperation, current leadership must hold a vision transcending "regional self-interest." For the Chungcheong Region Joint Great Transformation that Heo Tae-jeong presented to be realized not as a simple election promise but as a restructuring of the national economic structure, the implementation capability to back up that vision with administrative experience and concrete policy is essential.
This is precisely why Heo Tae-jeong is called both a "stable-type comeback candidate" and simultaneously a "redesign-type candidate"—a signal that he will implement future vision in the present based on past experience. The 2026 local election will provide the answer to how the Chungcheong region's future will be drawn by his hand.
For deeper consultation and analysis on this matter, you can receive advice on city data strategy and regional cooperation system establishment from CEO Sim Jae-woo through AI Election Solutions (Jung-gu, Seoul). Inquiries can be made at 010-2397-5734 or jaiwshim@gmail.com.
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