[News] Kim Hyun-gi, Chairman of the Council of Chairpersons of Provincial Councils of the Republic of Korea, Holds 6th Extraordinary Meeting

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of the Korea Council of Chairs of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils (Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council), held the 6th extraordinary meeting of the Korea Council of Chairs of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils on the 24th in Jinju, Gyeongnam.

At the opening ceremony of the extraordinary meeting, chairs of provincial and metropolitan councils nationwide attended along with Kim Byung-kyu, Vice Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Economic Affairs, Choi Sung-yoo, Vice Superintendent of Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education, and Jo Gyu-il, Mayor of Jinju City.

In his greeting, Chairman Kim Hyun-ki said, “We are continuously communicating with the central government to improve systems for the development of local councils,” adding, “I met with Lee Chae-ik, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, to propose issues such as the actualization of local council members’ activity allowances, which have been frozen for 19 years.”

At the 6th extraordinary meeting, the following proposals were discussed: strengthening the independence of audit organizations under local councils; urging the establishment of the Overseas Koreans Agency; urging the legalization of the local council personnel hearing system; and urging amendments to related laws for fire prevention measures in large complex buildings.

The Korea Council of Chairs of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils is a council composed of chairs of 17 regional councils nationwide. It leads the development of local autonomy by promoting mutual exchange and cooperation regarding local council operations, jointly working to improve unreasonable laws and systems, and advancing decentralized self-governance.