Geum Gwang-yeon, Hanam City Council Chair, "I Will Listen More Loudly to Citizens' Voices"

Expansion of "Internet Live Streaming Service" to Standing Committee Meetings
Transparent Disclosure of Legislative Activities through Briefings and New Year's Meetings
Realizing a Council that Communicates with Citizens by Resolving Grievances On-Site

Geum Gwang-yeon, chairman of the Hanam City Council in Gyeonggi Province, views 2025 as a more challenging and important year than ever before and is approaching it with extraordinary determination. In particular, he emphasized that all members of the city council must boldly pursue self-innovation and focus on restoring the livelihood economy and citizen-centered legislative activities.

Geum Gwang-yeon, Chairman of Hanam City Council, speaking on a proposed agenda item at the 131st regular meeting of the Gyeonggi Eastern Region City and County Chairmen's Association on February 6. Provided by Hanam City Council.

According to the city council on the 2nd, to this end, the council has selected three major tasks to focus on and promote throughout the year in order to transform into a council that aligns with the legislative slogan for the second half of the 9th term, "A dignified council walking with citizens." Especially with the intention of "listening more loudly to the voices of citizens and more effectively hearing public opinion," efforts are underway to visit underserved areas and citizens directly to listen to the difficulties of livelihoods on-site and promptly resolve grievances.

Geum Gwang-yeon, who is leading the second half of the 9th term council for two years, is a recognized administrative expert. With 37 years of public service experience in central government and local governments, Geum, who has excellent political sense and expertise in policy and legal interpretation, held the first-ever "Meeting with Heads of Dong-Related Organizations" in Hanam City Council history last October since the implementation of local autonomy in 1991. This first meeting, held to break away from formalities and protocols and to listen to and consult on daily hardships and inconveniences, received a total of 105 suggestions.

The council is not stopping at merely listening to grievances and difficulties but is ensuring systematic and sustainable management. To share progress and seek solutions, the council is sequentially holding the "New Year's Meeting with Heads of Dong-Related Organizations" from February to March this year. By directly visiting 13 dongs, the council is proactively identifying citizens' inconveniences and the difficulties of socially vulnerable groups to prioritize and resolve them, embodying "legislative activities that care for citizens' lives."

Hanam City Council adopted the "Resolution Urging the Reflection of Residents' Opinions on the Gangdong-Hanam-Namyangju Line Metropolitan Railroad (Subway Line 9 Extension)" at the "337th 1st Plenary Session" on February 10. Provided by Hanam City Council

Chairman Geum said, "I hope the meeting will serve as an opportunity to practically resolve unresolved grievances and difficulties by directly communicating with local residents on-site," adding, "We will continue to meet citizens directly in more places, communicate closely, listen to grievances and difficulties, and resolve complaints."

The council is taking the lead in actively disclosing the decision-making process of the local council to citizens in accordance with the recommendations for institutional improvement by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, fulfilling its role as a representative body of the citizens.

As a result of promoting the activation of meeting disclosures, as of the end of February, the council has diversified procedures for attending meetings through on-site, telephone, and online methods; diversified submission of opinions on ordinance drafts via visits, mail, fax, and online; and clarified and expedited the timing of meeting minutes disclosure.

Additionally, as a new project this year, the council will establish an "Integrated Broadcasting System" in May. By integrating and operating broadcasting equipment scattered across each meeting room, the system will efficiently live broadcast videos of plenary and standing committee meetings, creating an environment where citizens can easily access the council’s decision-making process and take greater interest in legislative activities.

From the 337th extraordinary session held from February 10 to 19, the first session of this year, the council provided real-time YouTube live streaming services for plenary and standing committee meetings to realize an open council that communicates interactively with citizens.

Previously, only plenary sessions were streamed live on the council’s website, but from February, all plenary and standing committee meetings have been streamed live on both the website and YouTube, allowing citizens to vividly witness the council members’ legislative activities regardless of location.

Photo of the commemorative photo session at the '2025 Hanam City Council - Misa 1-dong Related Organization Leaders New Year's Meeting' on February 4th. Provided by Hanam City Council

The expansion of this "Internet live streaming" service for the decision-making process was promoted to fulfill citizens' right to know through transparent disclosure of legislative activities and to strengthen communication. It is also expected to help restore trust in local councils and enhance their status in the future.

Moreover, the council is preparing a studio within a separate space in the legislative hall on the basement first floor of the council building to shoot videos and photos for promoting legislative activities, laying the foundation for producing various promotional contents.

Chairman Geum believes that for the council to be recognized by citizens as a competent council, the working environment of the staff working together is most important. Therefore, he focused on creating a good working council by improving the efficiency of the 9th term council members’ legislative activities and enhancing the comfortable environment of the council building.

At the end of last year, four spaces including a multipurpose room (legislative hall) within the council building were prepared as legislative activity and rest areas. This was to foster a vibrant and lively council through cooperation between council members and council office staff.

Furthermore, as part of the council office staff capacity-building program, the council has been promoting "benchmarking advanced domestic councils" and conducting "mentoring (mentor-mentee) education," where senior public officials pass on their public service experience to juniors to cultivate work capabilities, and plans to continue these projects this year.

At the end of last year, the legislative activity and rest area prepared within the Hanam City Council. Provided by Hanam City Council

Chairman Geum stated, "By directly communicating with citizens on-site and identifying structural factors causing difficulties for socially vulnerable groups to fundamentally resolve them through institutional improvements, I will strive to help Hanam City leap forward as a livable city," adding, "Hanam City Council is always open 365 days a year, so I hope citizens will not hesitate to visit the council anytime to share their grievances and work together to find solutions."

He continued, "By listening carefully to the voices of council office staff and meticulously addressing the improvements they suggest and policies that should be reflected in legislative activities, I will strive to create an environment where each staff member can maximize their capabilities in a harmonious atmosphere of mutual consideration and understanding for a 'citizen-centered council trusted by citizens.'"