On the 9th, South Gyeongsang Gov. Park Wan-su said, "We will consistently push forward with the administrative integration of Busan and South Gyeongsang, including enacting a basic law and calling for a referendum."
Presiding over an expanded senior officials meeting at the provincial government office that day, Park said, "As the central government is not accepting the authorities demanded by Daegu–North Gyeongsang and Daejeon–South Chungcheong, which are promoting broad-area administrative integration, calls for referendums are pouring in across regions."
He added, "Other regional cases have shown that the calls by Busan and South Gyeongsang for enacting an integration basic law and holding a referendum were very legitimate and proper."
Park also said, "Integration without securing procedural legitimacy and without securing status and autonomy has little meaning, so we asked the government for a referendum and the enactment of an integration basic law," adding, "As agreed with the city of Busan, we must consistently push forward with these integration principles."
Earlier, on the 28th of last month, Park and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon announced a joint stance on how to proceed with administrative integration. They said they would hold a referendum this year and, based on the results, elect a Busan–South Gyeongsang integrated chief in the 2028 general election. This contrasts with other metropolitan governments pursuing administrative integration that plan to elect an integrated chief in the local elections in June.
In addition, Park said the opening of the Bujeon–Masan double-track rail should be accelerated. Earlier, on the 7th, President Lee Jae-myung, when a citizen pointed out the delay in opening the double-track rail at a South Gyeongsang residents' town hall meeting held at the Changwon Convention Center, ordered the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to move up the opening.