Dobong-gu Residents' Autonomy Association Expanded to All 14 Neighborhoods

Since 2021, Banghak 2-dong and Banghak 3-dong Residents' Autonomous Associations have been entrusted with operating autonomous center programs... In 2021, 14 dong Residents' Autonomous Associations allocated KRW 371,348,000 from resident tax refunds... Dong-level planned citizen participation budget of KRW 298,523,000 executed

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dongjin Lee) has, based on the successful operation of residents' autonomy committees in 9 neighborhoods, additionally formed residents' autonomy committees in 5 neighborhoods (Ssangmun 2-dong, Ssangmun 3-dong, Ssangmun 4-dong, Chang 1-dong, Chang 3-dong) on December 20 last year.

From this year, residents' autonomy committees will be operated throughout all 14 neighborhoods of Dobong-gu.

This expansion is part of an innovative policy for resident participation, transforming the 'Residents' Autonomy Committee,' which had remained a simple participation and advisory body, into a 'Residents' Autonomy Council' where residents have actual authority related to village policies and budgets. The 14 neighborhoods are divided into three stages for phased implementation, sharing achievements to create a virtuous cycle of transition, making this initiative highly significant.

Starting in 2017 with six neighborhoods ▲Ssangmun 1-dong ▲Banghak 1-dong ▲Banghak 2-dong ▲Banghak 3-dong ▲Chang 2-dong ▲Chang 5-dong, followed by three neighborhoods in December 2019 ▲Chang 4-dong ▲Dobong 1-dong ▲Dobong 2-dong, and five neighborhoods in December 2020 ▲Ssangmun 2-dong ▲Ssangmun 3-dong ▲Ssangmun 4-dong ▲Chang 1-dong ▲Chang 3-dong, the entire district has transitioned to residents' autonomy councils.

During this process, over the past three years, the residents' autonomy council members of 9 neighborhoods in Dobong-gu have taken the lead in realizing practical residents' autonomy and forming local community by discovering agendas to solve local issues themselves and directly executing agendas selected through residents' general assembly resolutions, making the 'residents' the 'owners.'

Recognizing these achievements, Dobong-gu was selected as the best local government in the institutional policy category at the 18th National Residents' Autonomy Expo in 2019 and received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award. In 2020, at the 19th National Residents' Autonomy Expo, it won the Autonomy and Decentralization Award in the institutional policy category, firmly establishing itself as a leading district for residents' autonomy council projects in Seoul.

Going forward, the district plans to establish and revise enforcement rules for the ordinance on the installation and operation of Dobong-gu residents' autonomy councils and autonomy centers, organize the 'Dobong-gu Residents' Autonomy Council' as a consultative and advisory body, design a Dobong-type residents' autonomy council, and prepare sustainable development plans for residents' autonomy councils.

Additionally, the scope of resident participation will continue to expand as residents' autonomy councils take charge of operating autonomy centers on consignment, executing resident tax refund funds, and citizen participation budgets.

Mayor Dongjin Lee of Dobong-gu said, “By granting real authority and responsibility to residents' autonomy councils, we will realize true 'grassroots democracy' where residents solve local problems themselves, and we will spare no support to help residents' autonomy councils become representative resident organizations with local representativeness.”