Chungnam Passes Public Institution Consolidation in Assembly... Integrated Institutions Launch in First Half of Year

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The public institution consolidation promoted by Chungnam Province has passed the threshold of the Chungnam Provincial Council. The launch of the integrated institution through consolidation is expected to take place in the first half of this year.

According to the province on the 22nd, the Provincial Council approved five ordinances related to the management efficiency of public institutions under the original proposal at the '342nd Extraordinary Session 2nd Plenary Meeting' held the day before.

The management efficiency of public institutions focuses on consolidating the functions of 25 public institutions funded and supported by the province into 18 institutions.

The ordinance includes merging the Economic Promotion Agency and the Job Promotion Agency to newly launch the 'Chungnam Job Economy Promotion Agency' and transferring five affiliated centers of the Chungnam Research Institute.

Additionally, the Cultural Foundation, Tourism Foundation, and Baekje Cultural Foundation will be integrated into the 'Culture and Tourism Foundation'; the Lifelong Education Promotion Agency and Talent Development Foundation into the 'Lifelong Education and Talent Development Promotion Agency'; the Social Service Center, Youth Promotion Agency, and Women and Family Research Institute into the 'Women, Family, Youth, and Social Service Center'; and the Chungnam Research Institute and the Science and Technology Promotion Agency will be integrated into the Chungnam Research Institute, all included in the ordinance.

With the consolidation plan passing the council, the province's push for public institution consolidation is expected to accelerate. The province plans to establish detailed plans and form a task force to enable the launch of the integrated institution within the first half of this year.

Subsequently, the procedure to relocate the headquarters of the integrated institution to Naepo New Town will begin, with the aim of completing the relocation within the year.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Council also approved an ordinance to align the terms of the governor and the heads and executives of funded and supported institutions.

The approved ordinance stipulates that the terms of heads and executives of funded and supported institutions appointed by the governor will be set to two years with the possibility of reappointment, and that the terms of political and policy advisory public officials will be the same as the governor’s term at the time of appointment.