Outstanding Cases of Local Governments Promoting Proactive Administration Through Regulatory Relief in Q1
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 11th that it has selected five outstanding cases of regulatory relief in which local governments actively and creatively promoted their work to revitalize the local economy and resolve residents' inconveniences.
These outstanding cases of regulatory relief were selected with a focus on novel examples that other local governments can easily adopt, achieving both "economic revitalization and consideration for residents" amid the recent COVID-19 crisis. The Ministry plans to select outstanding cases every quarter to embed proactive administration in local governments, reflect them in joint evaluations of local governments, and share them nationwide through local government websites and social network services by producing card news, etc.
Namdong-gu, Incheon, established and announced location standards and activity permission criteria for automobile electric supply facilities within the development-restricted area of Namdong-gu to promote the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. Despite legal amendments, the lack of local government permission standards had delayed approvals for electric vehicle charging stations within development-restricted areas. Namdong-gu of Incheon was evaluated as taking proactive administrative actions such as conducting feasibility studies and preparing guidelines.
Seoul City researched and developed the "Digital Accessibility Standard Guidelines and Application Guide for the Elderly" to improve digital information accessibility for the elderly. After COVID-19, the demand for digital services among the elderly increased, but services reflecting their characteristics were insufficient, raising concerns about inconvenience in use. The Seoul Digital Foundation made efforts to reflect elderly characteristics in non-face-to-face services. This guideline is being disseminated to 35 welfare centers in Seoul, including Yongsan Senior Welfare Center, to support the elderly in easily using non-face-to-face digital services.
Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, introduced a method where the local government consults with the tax office and others to verify the cancellation of rights that landowners must perform during land compensation. Since landowners had to cancel pre-emptive rights, superficies, etc., after full tax payment to receive land compensation, causing contract delays and setbacks in public development projects, Bucheon improved the procedure through consultations with related agencies such as the tax office. This reduced the inconvenience of landowners having to visit multiple agencies to resolve land rights issues and enabled the swift promotion of public development projects by handling tax arrears collectively at the time of compensation contracts.
Gyeongsangnam-do amended the Gyeongsangnam-do Urban Development Ordinance to allow the supply of rental housing for youth and newlyweds in old downtown areas using profits from new town development projects. As new town development caused deterioration of old downtown areas and outflow of young populations, Gyeongsangnam-do simplified procedures for combined development of new towns and old downtown areas through consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It also provided half-price rental housing for youth and newlyweds in old downtown areas and allowed up to a 10% additional floor area ratio increase in new town areas. This is expected to serve as a win-win development model between new towns and old downtown areas, resolving the hollowing-out phenomenon that other local governments are concerned about and improving the residential environment for youth and newlyweds.
Okcheon-gun, Chungbuk, actively interpreted the "Regulation on Acts Violating Order" to relax procedures for minor violations under the Automobile Management Act. Instead of simply imposing fines as before, fines are now imposed only after requesting restoration and if non-compliance occurs. Due to a surge in violations such as illegal lighting devices and damage to automobile registration plates under the Automobile Management Act, fines were imposed regardless of intent or negligence, causing excessive complaints. This change reduces such complaints and improves administrative efficiency by preventing fine arrears.
Park Jae-min, Director of the Local Finance and Economy Office, said, “Proactive regulatory innovation begins with a caring gaze toward the people and is completed with a warm hand. We will continue to work hard to actively discover and innovate areas that can help residents’ livelihoods together with local governments.”
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