Seven City and County Councils Including Hanam Join Forces to Jointly Respond to Water Source Protection Zone Regulation Damage

Publicizing Harm from Excessive Redundant Regulations and Plans for Joint Response Council Agreement and Vision Declaration Ceremony in March Next Year
Chairman Geum Gwang-yeon: "Just as the National Assembly has the National Assembly Act, Local Assemblies Must Have the Local Assembly Act for True Autonomy"

The councils of seven cities and counties adjacent to Paldang Dam, including Hanam, Gwangju, and Namyangju, will jointly respond to damages and regulatory relaxations caused by the water source protection zone. Hanam City Council (Chairman Geum Gwang-yeon) held the ‘130th Regular Meeting of the Gyeonggi Eastern Region City and County Council Chairpersons’ on the 19th in the council’s small conference room.

Attendees of the 130th regular meeting of the Gyeonggi Eastern Region City and County Chairpersons' Council, held on the 19th under the auspices of Hanam City Council, are taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Hanam City Council

The regular meeting, hosted by the Gyeonggi Eastern Region City and County Council Chairpersons Association (Chairman Jo Seong-dae, Chairman of Namyangju City Council, hereafter the Association) and organized by Hanam City Council, was attended by Hwang Seon-ho, Chairman of Yangpyeong County Council; Lee Deok-su, Chairman of Seongnam City Council; Geum Gwang-yeon, Chairman of Hanam City Council; Park Myeong-seo, Chairman of Icheon City Council; and Park Du-hyeong, Chairman of Yeoju City Council. They discussed the formation of a consultative body to respond to damages in the Gyeonggi Eastern Region water source management area and handled agenda items including major projects for 2025.

According to the Association, the ‘Eastern Region Water Source Protection Zone Joint Response Consultative Body (tentative name)’ will be composed of a policy council, a working committee, and an advisory committee, with plans to hold a joint response consultative body agreement ceremony and vision proclamation event for the seven city and county councils in March next year.

Additionally, the Association reviewed and approved four agenda items presented that day: ▲ Partial amendment of the regulations for awarding outstanding members of the Gyeonggi Eastern Region city and county councils ▲ Approval of major projects and budget execution plans for 2025 ▲ Approval of the minutes of the 129th regular meeting ▲ Decision on the venue for the next (131st) regular meeting.

Following this, the 11th Gyeonggi Eastern Region City and County Council Chairpersons’ ‘Outstanding Member and Staff Awards Ceremony’ was held at Hanam City Comprehensive Welfare Town.

This year, nine outstanding council members and five outstanding staff members were selected across a total of eight fields, including resident participation and communication.

Hanam City Council member Oh Ji-yeon (People Power Party, proportional representation) was honored as the ‘Outstanding Member in the Field of Administrative and Legislative Activity Improvement’ for her contributions to improving the quality of life of local residents and supporting the development and activities of the local council.

Also, Son Ye-rin, administrative officer of the Hanam City Council’s Autonomy and Administration Committee, was selected as the outstanding staff member for her excellent job performance and dedicated support of legislative activities.

Chairman Geum Gwang-yeon emphasized, “The ‘Request for Enactment of the Local Council Act’ proposed at the last ‘129th Regular Meeting’ was submitted as an agenda item to the Gyeonggi City and County Council Chairpersons Association and passed as originally proposed. Just as the National Assembly has the National Assembly Act, local councils need a Local Council Act to truly achieve autonomy.” He added, “There are many hurdles to overcome before the enactment of the Local Council Act, but I ask the chairpersons to raise their voices together to realize true local autonomy and decentralization.”

Chairman Geum also said, “I wish success to everyone attending today’s awards ceremony and hope that future legislative activities will shine even brighter. Hanam City Council will continue to strive so that the Gyeonggi Eastern Region city and county councils can grow and develop together.”