[Interview] Jeong Muchang, Gwangju City Council Chair: "We Will Build a Council Trusted by Citizens"

Deliberation on the First Supplementary Budget of the 8th Elected Term...Careful Review of 'Unnecessary Expenses' and 'Legitimacy'

'A Competent and Honest Council'...Will Gather 'Wisdom' Through 'Communication' as the Citizens' Representative

Jeong Muchang, Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, is expressing his ambition to create a "council worthy of a council" that earns the trust of citizens.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] It has been a month since Jeong Muchang, chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, who will lead the first two years of the 9th Gwangju Metropolitan Council, began his term.

During this period, which sets the direction for the first half of the council, the 'organization formation' including the election of standing committee chairs was completed without major issues, and through the first extraordinary session, the city organization restructuring plan promoted by Mayor Kang Gi-jung was processed amid intense discussions, making it an extremely busy month.

Chairman Jeong pledged to do his best within the given circumstances without losing the initial determination he had when running for city councilor and when being elected as chairman.

We heard Chairman Jeong’s thoughts on creating a 'council worthy of the council' so as not to disappoint the expectations of the citizens.

Gwangju City plans to prepare and submit the first supplementary budget for the 8th term of the civilian government to the council. Chairman Jeong first expressed his intention to carefully review whether it is an urgent budget for stabilizing people’s livelihoods and developing Gwangju during this difficult time of the three hardships (high inflation, high interest rates, and high oil prices) and the resurgence of COVID-19, and whether it is an effective budget that can empower the citizens.

In this review, the focus will be on ▲whether the budget is unnecessary or excessive in nature for a supplementary budget ▲whether it aligns with the organizational restructuring of Gwangju City in the 8th term of the civilian government ▲the appropriateness and validity of Mayor Kang Gi-jung’s key projects ▲and whether it has the most fundamental 'procedural legitimacy.'

Chairman Jeong emphasized, "We will faithfully perform the role of checking the city administration so that the budget is used appropriately and the city administration operates solely for the citizens, fulfilling the responsibilities and roles entrusted to the council."

Ultimately, he set the goal of raising the status of the council through change and innovation and, above all, making it a council trusted by the citizens.

He plans to actively support the creation of a capable and honest council where each council member becomes an expert in their respective fields, thoroughly monitors the city administration, and continuously studies and researches to become a competent council.

Externally, he will support the council to become an open council that takes one step closer to the citizens and a field-oriented council that actively reflects the will of the citizens in the policy-making process and creates channels for active communication with civic groups, thereby truly establishing an 'open council.'

Until now, the Gwangju Metropolitan Council has been embroiled in scandals such as salary embezzlement, drunk driving, bribery, and overseas escape. Chairman Jeong explained that he will do his best to raise the ethical awareness of council members to improve their morality and integrity so that they are not involved in corruption during their council activities.

He said, "At the council level, we will encourage mutual encouragement and checks among members, and through education and learning, constantly reflect on and inspect ourselves. We must thoroughly hold legal, ethical, and political responsibilities for council members’ misconduct instead of covering it up as if protecting our own."

He also emphasized, "We plan to operate the 'Council Members’ Code of Conduct Advisory Committee' and the 'Ethics Review Advisory Committee' effectively and strengthen integrity education to raise the ethical awareness of council members and do our best in this regard."

Currently, Gwangju faces numerous challenges for regional development, such as securing national budget, fostering future growth industries, and resolving long-standing projects. He analyzed that the most urgent task is to unite the power and wisdom of the citizens to push forward all these tasks without missing the 'right timing.'

He stated that the leaders of regional politics and administration, including the mayor, the executive branch, the city council, the five district councils, and the members of the National Assembly, have the responsibility to establish a 'future vision and meticulous strategy' and present a big picture for Gwangju’s development. Next, it is important to sufficiently explain and seek agreement from the citizens on the vision and strategy proposed by politics and administration, that is, to gather the consensus of civil society.

Chairman Jeong set the goal of redefining the status of the council during his two-year term to create a 'studying council,' a 'communicating council,' and ultimately a 'council worthy of the council' that is trusted and loved by the citizens.

He said, "It is the chairman’s role to create conditions so that each council member can always study, communicate, and carry out legislative activities with expertise," and added, "Supporting council members to play their roles in proposing policy alternatives for Gwangju’s development as well as monitoring and checking the executive branch is the chairman’s duty."

He also said, "Therefore, the slogan for the first half of the 9th Gwangju Metropolitan Council’s legislative activities was set as 'Participating Citizens, Acting Council,'" and added, "I hope the citizens will take an interest in, participate in, and support the activities of our local council members."

This Gwangju Metropolitan Council includes five members in their 20s and 30s out of 23 members, with many first-term young politicians. Chairman Jeong, as a senior legislator, asked them to continuously study and research to become capable politicians with professional qualifications.

He advised, "While we expect uprightness from young politicians, political skills must be based on communication and inclusiveness," and added, "I hope they can communicate with various generations and develop inclusiveness rather than thinking their own opinions are always right."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "I hope they always remember the reason why they first wanted to enter politics and what changes they wanted to bring to citizens’ lives through politics, and never lose their initial determination."

The Gwangju region is traditionally classified as a stronghold of the Democratic Party. There are concerns about whether the council, which should always play the role of checking and monitoring the executive branch with a majority of Democratic Party members including heads of local governments, metropolitan councilors, and basic councilors, can raise a proper voice and fulfill its role.

Chairman Jeong expressed a heavy sense of responsibility regarding these concerns and vowed to fulfill the council’s duties.

He pledged to not hesitate to speak harshly against policies that do not contribute to Gwangju’s development and citizens’ happiness, to examine them with a more rigorous standard, and to scrutinize major pending projects more thoroughly.

Chairman Jeong analyzed, "Everything has its time and timing. With the revision of the Local Autonomy Act, the independence and role of local councils have increased, creating a period where 'expectations and concerns' intersect," and added, "It is a time to appropriately respond to changes in the political environment, and it is a crucial time for the Democratic Party’s local governments and councils to fulfill their roles so that Gwangju and Jeonnam do not become isolated islands."

He continued, "The 23 Gwangju council members, including myself, will work hard over the next four years to become 'representatives of the citizens' and 'partners of the city administration,' ensuring a 'council worthy of the council' that does not neglect monitoring and checking the executive branch, a 'competent council' that always studies and learns and proposes policy alternatives, and a 'trusted council' for the citizens."

He also said, "Regarding various long-standing projects in Gwangju, I pledge and promise to first listen to the voices of the citizens, communicate, and gather wisdom," and added, "I ask the citizens to always take an interest in and show affection for the work of the city council and to participate."