Ministry of the Interior and Safety Discusses 'Local Economic Policy' with Local Governments... Shares New Government's Economic Policy Direction

Participation of Local Government Economic Officers on the 5th... Workshop Held

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Local government officials in charge of regional economies nationwide are gathering to share the new government's economic policy directions and regional economic policies, and to explore ways to revitalize regional economies in response to the economic crisis caused by worsening external conditions such as inflation.

On the 4th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it will hold the "2022 Second Half Regional Economic Revitalization Workshop" on the 5th at the Sunshine Hotel in Daejeon. About 250 participants, including officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, local government officials in charge of regional economies, and private economic experts, will attend. At this event, central and local government officials will share the economic crisis situation burdening regional economies following the COVID-19 aftermath and discuss response measures by joining forces between the government and local governments.

The workshop will proceed with ▲ sharing the new government's economic policy directions and key regional economic promotion directions ▲ presentations of excellent regional economic policies ▲ expert lectures on economic directions in the era of inflation.

First, the Ministry of Economy and Finance will enhance understanding of the new government's overall economic policies, followed by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety explaining key regional economic promotion directions aligned with government policy principles. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety presents price stabilization as the top priority for regional economies in the second half of the year and plans to actively manage local public utility charges to achieve this. Additionally, to revitalize regional economies centered on the private sector and businesses, the ministry will encourage active participation from each local government in the 'Local Government Regulatory Innovation' initiative.

In the "Presentations of Excellent Regional Economic Policy Cases," cases from Seo-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City; Changwon City, Gyeongsangnam-do; and Guri City, Gyeonggi-do, which were selected as excellent local governments at last year's Local Autonomy Management Competition, will be introduced. Seo-gu, Incheon, will present its public delivery service "Baedal Seo-gu," the nation's first brokerage fee-free delivery service; Changwon, Gyeongnam, will introduce the Changwon-type Digital Silk Road to overcome the economic crisis. These three excellent local governments will share their case presentations along with the implementation process, achievements, and challenges with other local governments.

Through this event, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to enhance local governments' understanding of the overall regional economic policies to be promoted in the future and actively reflect voices from the regional field in regional economic policies. Kim Kwang-hwi, Regional Economy Support Officer, stated, "To overcome the economic crisis approaching us, the role of local governments, where the new government's economic policies are actually implemented, is more important than anything else," adding, "We will spare no support to ensure that the new government's economic policies and regional economic policies are properly promoted at the local level to overcome the economic crisis and breathe new life into regional economies."