Yeongdeok-gun, Residents Directly Evaluate Pledges... Operation of Resident Jury Panel

Participation from 90s to 20s Youth, Realizing True Local Autonomy

Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, will operate the 2023 Yeongdeok-gun Resident Jury Panel, organized by the Korea Manifesto Practice Headquarters, a total of three times from the first meeting on November 16 to December 14, to check the implementation of the second-year pledge projects of the 8th local government administration.

Group photo of the 1st meeting of the 2023 8th Local Election Pledge Project Resident Jury Panel.

Based on the pledge implementation plan confirmed in the first year of the 8th local government administration, the Resident Jury Panel will directly deliberate on the progress of pledge projects, adjustment of implementation plans, ideas, and improvement measures.

The selection of the Resident Jury Panel was conducted to ensure representativeness by randomly drawing 200 candidates through a telephone ARS from residents aged 19 or older registered in the area during October. Then, after telephone interviews with residents who expressed willingness to participate, a final 35 members were selected.

Notably, the Yeongdeok-gun Resident Jury Panel includes a diverse age range from people in their 90s to youths in their 20s for the first time nationwide, making it a platform to capture the voices of the county residents.

The 8th local government administration’s pledge projects in Yeongdeok-gun consist of 46 projects totaling 259.2 billion KRW, including 11 projects in regional development, 10 in culture and tourism, 6 in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, 18 in education, health, and welfare, and 1 in communication. Since the inauguration of County Governor Kim Gwang-yeol in July last year, after one year and five months, 9 projects have been completed and 37 are progressing normally.

This year, Yeongdeok-gun was the only local government in Gyeongbuk Province to be selected as the top (SA) local government for seven consecutive years in the nationwide local government pledge implementation evaluation announced every April by the Korea Manifesto Practice Headquarters. In particular, in July this year, at the ‘2023 National Basic Local Government Manifesto Best Practice Competition’ held in Suncheon, Jeonnam, with the participation of 155 basic local governments, Yeongdeok-gun won the top award in the county-level regional culture activation category.

Governor Kim Gwang-yeol said, “To fulfill the public promises made to the residents, we will regularize the operation of the Resident Jury Panel every year during the pledge project implementation process. We will carry out pledge projects together with the residents through active participation, enhancing policy accountability, alleviating conflicts in county administration, and promoting true local autonomy that resonates with the residents.”