Jo Young-hoon, Chair of the National Association of City, County, and District Councils, Discusses Local Autonomy Act Amendment with Jeon Hae-cheol, Minister of the Interior and Safety

Chairman Cho to Meet Minister Jeon Hae-cheol on the 12th...Positive Changes Expected Including Promotion of Basic Council Office Staff Ranks

Minister Jeon Hae-cheol of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (right) and Cho Young-hoon, Chairman of the National Association of City, County, and District Council Chairpersons

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The National Association of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils (President Jo Young-hoon) held a meeting with Jeon Hae-cheol, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, on the 12th at the 12th-floor conference room of the Government Seoul Office, requesting active consideration for the amendment of follow-up laws and regulations.

Last December, a revision to the Local Autonomy Act, which includes the independence of personnel authority and expansion of autonomy for basic councils for the first time in over 30 years, was passed and is scheduled to be implemented early next year.

With significant changes expected in basic councils going forward, the National Association of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils is making thorough preparations necessary for strengthening local autonomy and developing basic councils.

Since early this year, they have actively collected opinions from 226 basic councils nationwide and prepared a detailed review plan that includes adjustments to the ranks of council secretariat staff and reinforcement of personnel in line with the legislative intent, finalizing the final plan.

On this day, President Jo Young-hoon discussed the amendment of the ‘Standards for Local Government Administrative Organization and Staffing’ for basic councils with Minister Jeon Hae-cheol. The purpose is to enable proper checks and monitoring functions by upgrading the council secretariat division to the council secretariat bureau, and the council secretariat bureau to the council secretariat office, as the council previously had difficulty performing smooth oversight and monitoring roles over the executive branch.

President Jo Young-hoon demanded active reflection from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Minister Jeon Hae-cheol acknowledged much of the necessity for the amendment and responded that he would consider it positively.

After the meeting, President Jo Young-hoon stated, “We conveyed the strong will of 226 basic councils nationwide at this meeting and expect it to be positively reflected. Until the implementation of the Local Autonomy Act next year, the National Association of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils plans to carry out all efforts necessary for local autonomy and the development of basic councils comprehensively.”