[Photo] Local Autonomy and Decentralization Association Holds Video Conference with Kim Soon-eun, Chair of the Presidential Committee on Local Autonomy and Decentralization

President's Committee on Autonomy and Decentralization Chair Kim Sun-eun Invited Lecture on "Key Contents and Significance of the Complete Revision of the Local Autonomy Act"... Listening to Local Leaders' Opinions on the Changing Local Autonomy System and Discussing Local Government Responses and Autonomy Tasks

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Council of Local Governments for Decentralization (Chairman Lee Dong-jin, Dobong-gu Mayor) held a video conference at 9 a.m. on the 8th, inviting Kim Soon-eun, Chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Decentralization, along with heads of member local governments nationwide.

This meeting was arranged following Chairman Lee Dong-jin's proposal to invite the Chairperson, aiming to discuss at the council level the key contents of the Local Autonomy Act, which was fully revised in December 2020, and the impact of the autonomous police system to be implemented from the second half of this year on local governments. It also provided an opportunity to hear opinions from local government heads on the new local autonomy system and share future tasks. The proposal was made at the first regular general meeting of the council held on March 24, 2021.

Chairperson Kim Soon-eun, invited on this day, emphasized the institutional foundation for realizing resident sovereignty by enabling residents to actively participate in policy decision-making and execution processes, under the theme of "Key Contents and Significance of the Full Revision of the Local Autonomy Act."

She also explained that enhancing the expertise of local councils, independence of personnel authority, and establishing a cooperative partnership between central and local governments laid the groundwork for advancing into the "Decentralization 2.0 era."

After the lecture, in-depth questions and passionate discussions from local government heads followed.

During the discussion, the heads deliberated on local governments’ responses to the changing local autonomy system and decentralization tasks, strengthening their determination to realize decentralization and expanding the scope of existing perceptions.

Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “Today’s lecture was a valuable opportunity to review the current status of the central government’s decentralization policy and core tasks. The Council of Local Governments for Decentralization will continuously raise voices fitting the Decentralization 2.0 era and actively strive for an autonomous era led by local governments.”