President Lee Jae Myung warns that ignoring local corruption will undermine the foundations of decentralization

President Lee Jae Myung said on the 30th, while sharing an article on X (formerly Twitter) about the police's crackdown on local corruption cases, that such corruption is "a crime that destroys the very foundation of local autonomy and decentralization." Local corruption refers to misconduct in which powerful regional figures become deeply involved in local business projects to reap improper gains.

President Lee pointed out, "If chronic corruption and collusion in local communities are left unaddressed, it can undermine not only regional competitiveness but even public safety through shoddy construction." He added, "Collusion and corruption deeply rooted in local communities make even whistleblowing difficult, so they cannot be rectified from within," explaining why "we must roll up our sleeves and act proactively before the problem festers and explodes."

He also noted that "the National Office for Investigation of the National Police Agency detected some 700 cases during its first special crackdown on local corruption over the past eight months." Cases involving solicitation of contract renewals were among the targets. President Lee said, "From November, a second special crackdown will continue, expanding the scope of investigation to the regional public sector as a whole."