Council of Mayors, County Governors, and District Heads
Press Conference Urging Inclusion of Key Pledges in Presidential Election Platform
The Council of Mayors, County Governors, and District Heads of the Republic of Korea (Chairman Jo Jaegu, Nam District Mayor of Daegu) held a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Center on May 13, urging the inclusion of key pledges in the 21st presidential election platform.
This press conference was attended by Shin Jeonghun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and Chair of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, and Lee Inseon, a member of the People Power Party. From the council, the following executives participated: Chairman Jo Jaegu (Nam District, Daegu), Auditor Choi Jinbong (Jung District, Busan), Auditor Kim Sung (Jangheung County, Jeonnam), Spokesperson Lim Taek (Dong District, Gwangju), County Representative Choi Seungjun (Jeongseon County), and County Representative Song Inheon (Goesan County).
Jo Jaegu, chairman of the Council of Mayors, County Governors, and District Heads (left), is holding a press conference at the National Assembly urging complete local autonomy and decentralization.
Chairman Jo Jaegu explained, "To overcome the current national crisis and usher in a new Republic of Korea, a complete transformation of the nation through full local autonomy and decentralization is essential." He added, "We have proposed and called for the adoption of 21 core tasks across five key areas as presidential election pledges to expand and strengthen local autonomy and decentralization."
The statement emphasized, "True stability in people's livelihoods and sustainable development of the Republic of Korea can only be achieved through substantial local autonomy and decentralization based on self-governance, balance, and growth."
The 21 core presidential election pledges across five key areas proposed by the council are as follows. First, in the area of substantial local autonomy and decentralization, the council called for the promotion of constitutional amendments for local autonomy, the implementation of a basic-level autonomous police system for cities, counties, and districts, rational improvement of the standard personnel expense system, enactment of a special law on the allocation of responsibilities between central, metropolitan, and basic governments, and expansion of representative rights in central-local cooperation meetings.
Second, in the area of customized local fiscal decentralization, the council demanded innovation in fiscal decentralization centered on independent local resources, expansion of general grants and direct allocation to autonomous districts, the establishment of a basic local consumption tax, and reform of the centrally controlled national subsidy system. Third, the council urged expansion and improvement of the Local Extinction Response Fund, support for revitalizing local industries based on regional ties, reform of the Hometown Love Donation system, and regulatory improvements to support the settlement of outstanding foreign talent in local areas.
Fourth, in the area of social welfare decentralization, the council called for a review of the plan for integrating early childhood education and care, strengthening national responsibility for the implementation of integrated care, improving the operation of a decentralized 'Social Security Committee,' and reforming the Barrier-Free (BF) certification system for accessible environments. Fifth, regarding climate change response, carbon neutrality, and safe community disaster management, the council requested the establishment of a locally led carbon neutrality implementation system, enactment of the 'Energy Transition Local Autonomy and Decentralization Act,' enactment of a 'Special Act on Support and Prevention of Large-Scale Wildfire Damage,' and improvement of preventive-centered major disaster response systems.
Chairman Jo Jaegu stressed, "As the most fundamental and essential pledges to overcome the crisis of local extinction, the 5+5+5 tasks?raising the local allocation tax rate by 5%, increasing the Local Extinction Response Fund by 5 trillion won, and expanding the Hometown Love Donation tax deduction to 500,000 won?must be given top priority." He added, "Through the 21st presidential election, I hope that communication and cooperation between the central and local governments will be further strengthened so that local governments can overcome the crisis of extinction on their own."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
