Yang Bu-nam "The Operation of the National Trauma Healing Center Should Be the Responsibility of the State"

Representative Bill Introduced for National Burden of Operating Costs Amendment

A bill has been proposed to prevent local governments from bearing the operating costs of the National Trauma Healing Centers for State Violence, which will simultaneously open on the 1st in Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.

Yang Bu-nam, a member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Seo-gu Eul), announced that he has taken the lead in proposing the "Partial Amendment to the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the National Trauma Healing Centers for State Violence."

The bill mandates financial support from the state, aiming to regulate the joint sharing of center operation costs between the state and local governments.

The main point is that requiring local governments to bear expenses for national facilities contradicts the principle of sound local finance management under Article 137 of the Local Autonomy Act, which stipulates that "costs related to the operation of institutions funded or established by the state shall not be imposed on local governments."

Assemblyman Yang Bu-nam said, "I do not understand why local governments should be responsible for a healing center related to state violence," adding, "Considering the theoretical and fundamental legislative intent, this is also inconsistent with the Local Autonomy Act, so I proposed a bill to have the state fully support the operating costs."

Meanwhile, the healing centers were established under the "Act on the Establishment and Operation of the National Trauma Healing Centers for State Violence" to heal the psychological suffering of victims and their families caused by state violence, hostile forces, and international terrorist organizations, and to support their recovery to a healthy life.

These centers specialize in healing victims of state violence such as the May 18 Democratic Uprising, the Yeo-Sun Incident, the Bu-Ma Uprising, and civilian victims before and after the Korean War. However, due to insufficient budget and manpower, the title "National" has become somewhat hollow.

This bill was co-sponsored by Assemblymen Jeong Jin-wook, Jeong Jun-ho, Jeon Hyun-hee, Lee Jae-gwan, Bok Gi-wang, Ahn Kyu-baek, Seo Sam-seok, Min Hyung-bae, Kwon Hyang-yeop, Jeon Jin-sook, Park Hee-seung, and Lee Seong-yoon.