Jeongeup-si Implements 'Resident Autonomy Committee Pilot Operation'

[Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil] Jeongeup City, Jeonbuk (Mayor Yoo Jinseop) has taken the first step toward transitioning to a Residents' Autonomy Committee.

According to the city on the 2nd, the Residents' Autonomy Committee is a resident representative organization at the eup, myeon, and dong levels with enhanced authority and responsibility compared to the existing Residents' Autonomy Council. It carries out various activities directly related to residents' lives, such as establishing village autonomy plans led by residents, holding residents' general meetings, and proposing policy projects.

For the pilot operation of the Residents' Autonomy Committee, the city enacted related ordinances last June, and subsequently converted the Residents' Autonomy Councils of Suseong-dong and Naejang-sang-dong into Residents' Autonomy Committees. The city plans to complete the phased transition of all eup, myeon, and dong units to Residents' Autonomy Committees by 2023.

Earlier, on the 30th of last month, the city held an appointment ceremony for the Residents' Autonomy Committee members of Suseong-dong and Naejang-sang-dong at City Hall, appointing a total of 55 members: 26 from Suseong-dong and 29 from Naejang-sang-dong.

The appointed Residents' Autonomy Committee members will serve until December 31 of next year.

The appointment ceremony was conducted as a small-scale event with only six representatives from the districts attending to receive their appointment letters, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

During their term, the appointed Residents' Autonomy Committee members will play a central role in forming the local community by jointly considering ways to improve residents' culture, welfare, and convenience, as well as solutions to local issues.

In particular, the plan is to strengthen autonomy by enabling residents to solve local problems themselves and to spread a resident-led participation culture, leading the realization of grassroots democracy.

Mayor Yoo Jinseop said, “For the successful establishment of the Residents' Autonomy Committee, active participation from residents is necessary, and the city will do its best to support projects that promote residents' autonomy to achieve resident-led administrative innovation.”

Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil gjg7070@asiae.co.kr