Chungnam Provincial Council Moves to Enact Nation's First 'Paperless Meeting' Ordinance

Cho Cheolgi Emphasizes the Need to Prevent Waste of Administrative Resources and Manpower
Caused by Printing and Publication of Meeting Materials

Chungnam Provincial Council member Cho Cheolgi

Paper-based meeting materials are expected to disappear from various meetings conducted by Chungnam Province.

This is because the "Ordinance on the Promotion of Paperless Meetings in Chungcheongnam-do," proposed by Chungnam Provincial Council member Cho Cheolgi (Asan 4, Democratic Party of Korea), passed the Planning and Economic Committee during the 359th regular session on June 17 and is now awaiting deliberation at the plenary session.

This ordinance, the first of its kind in the nation and proposed by Cho Cheolgi, aims to minimize the use of paper in various meeting rooms within the provincial government building and to introduce electronic meeting methods utilizing digital technology. The ordinance seeks to simultaneously achieve reductions in carbon emissions, budget savings, and improvements in work efficiency.

The main contents of the ordinance, which aims to respond to the climate crisis and establish a support system for building a sustainable administrative framework, include: the definition of paperless meetings and the duties of the governor; the establishment and implementation of a basic plan every five years and annual implementation plans; and performance evaluations with incentives for outstanding departments.

Cho Cheolgi explained the necessity of enacting the ordinance, stating, "The production and printing of a single sheet of A4 paper emits 10 liters of water and 24.4 grams of carbon," and emphasized the need to enhance administrative efficiency by preventing the waste of administrative resources and manpower caused by the printing and publication of meeting materials in advance.

He added, "With the seriousness of carbon emissions becoming more tangible due to global warming and abnormal weather, the promotion of 'paperless meetings' is essential," and stressed, "In the era of digital transformation, administrative processes must also be improved in an eco-friendly and efficient manner."