The 9th Local Council to Open on the 1st of Next Month... Ministry of the Interior and Safety Provides Operational Guidelines

Published for the First Time in 4 Years Since 2018

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 26th that it will provide the "Guidebook for Local Council Members' Legislative Activities" and the "Local Council Operation Manual" to support the smooth launch and operation of the newly formed 9th local councils starting next month on the 1st.

The "Guidebook for Local Council Members' Legislative Activities" contains necessary information for local council members to carry out their legislative activities, including the roles and operations of local councils, and the rights and duties of local council members. This guidebook is being published for the first time in four years since 2018.

The "Local Council Operation Manual" was newly created to guide practical requirements during the support process for local council operations, including interpretations of laws related to local councils and examples of responses to major inquiries. In particular, it provides detailed guidance on the changes in local councils due to the fully revised Local Autonomy Act, which was fully implemented in January, including the independence of personnel authority for local councils, the introduction of professional policy support personnel, and the introduction of the record voting system.

Earlier, in May, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety provided nationwide local councils with guidance on matters that elected local council members should be aware of, such as the registration of local council members, property registration, and the methods and procedures for reporting concurrent positions, to ensure the smooth opening of local councils.

The Ministry plans to strengthen education for local council legislative activities through regional touring training sessions for local council members (August to September), and educational consultative bodies with associations such as the councils of provinces, cities, and counties.

Choi Hoon, Director of the Local Autonomy and Decentralization Office, said, "We will make every effort to support the newly formed local councils so that they can properly fulfill their role as representative bodies of residents," and added, "With expanded authority such as personnel rights, we expect local council activities to gain even greater trust from residents."