Provincial Governors Association: "Local Decentralization Must Be Included in Presidential Candidates' Pledges"

Strong Call for Decentralization Constitutional Amendment Including Regional Representative Upper House

[Jeonju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] The Council of Governors of Provinces and Cities of the Republic of Korea (Chairman Song Ha-jin, Governor of Jeollabuk-do) announced a joint statement of local councils and the National Assembly for Local Decentralization Constitutional Amendment at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 2nd.

The announcement was made together with local councils including the Council of Governors of Provinces and Cities of the Republic of Korea, the Council of Chairpersons of Provincial and City Councils of the Republic of Korea (Chairman Kim In-ho, Chairperson of Seoul Metropolitan Council), and the Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils Nationwide (Chairman Jo Young-hoon, Chairperson of Jung-gu Council, Seoul), as well as the National Assembly for Local Decentralization Constitutional Amendment (Co-representative Park Jae-yul).

The joint statement included the following for the local decentralization constitutional amendment: △ Establish a special committee for local decentralization constitutional amendment (tentative name) in the National Assembly △ Political parties and presidential candidates adopt local decentralization constitutional amendment as a presidential campaign pledge △ The constitutional amendment should not be a subject of political strife, and at least the local decentralization matters possible through national consensus should be reflected △ Continuously carry out mutual solidarity activities with related organizations such as local councils and the National Assembly.

Chairman Song Ha-jin said, “Although local autonomy has been established for 30 years, local governments still face many restrictions on autonomous financial authority, autonomous organizational authority, and autonomous legislative authority,” and added, “Now, realizing that the autonomy, creativity, and dynamism of localities are the driving forces of national development, for the Republic of Korea’s national governance system to be radically transformed based on local decentralization, fundamentally, the Constitution, the basic law of the Republic of Korea, must be amended to include the value of local decentralization, including the introduction of a regional representative upper house.”

Immediately after announcing the statement, the Council of Governors of Provinces and Cities held a National Assembly forum on ‘Constitutional Amendment for Local Autonomy and Introduction of a Bicameral System’ at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building to embody the purpose.

At the forum, former President of the Korea Institute of Public Administration Ahn Sung-ho emphasized the urgent need to decentralize the National Assembly and introduce a regional representative upper house for strong democracy constitutional reform, proposing a plan to operate it with minimal cost and personnel.

Jeonju=Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr