Visits to Key Institutions... Confirming Germany's Decentralized Urban Governance System
"Will Develop Strategies to Strengthen Pohang's Local Autonomy Tailored to the City"
Pohang Mayor Kangdeok Lee visited major institutions such as the Berlin Association of Cities and the Federal Council of Germany to examine advanced cases of local decentralization and explore ways to strengthen the autonomy of large cities in Korea and Pohang.
During this visit, the focus was on benchmarking the decentralized local government system of Germany, a federal country, and cases where the policy decision-making authority of local governments has been strengthened.
In particular, through meetings with city council members of the German Association of Cities (Deutscher St?dtetag), he examined practical know-how such as methods of cooperation between local and state governments, as well as the structure of financial and legislative operations, and sought opportunities for exchanges with major cities in Korea.
Mayor Lee stated, "In Germany, the powers and responsibilities between the central and local governments are clearly separated, and policy decisions and financial management at the city level are very active. By directly observing Germany's decentralized city management, policy decision-making, and financial operations, I have gained many valuable insights."
He also visited the Federal Council of Germany (Bundesrat), where he met with council members to directly observe financial and legislative activities that affect citizens' basic rights and the interests of each state, as well as the constitutional amendment review process. Through this, he gained practical insights that can be referenced in addressing the challenges of expanding local autonomy faced by large cities in Korea.
Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang, visiting the Federal Council of Germany (second from right). Photo by Pohang City
Mayor Kangdeok Lee said, "Pohang was once a city centered on the steel industry, but now it is a critical time for autonomous policy decisions and implementation in various fields such as urban regeneration, youth employment, and revitalization of the local economy. I will apply the knowledge gained from Germany's decentralized city management and financial and policy decision-making cases to Pohang to establish sustainable strategies for strengthening local autonomy tailored to the region's unique characteristics."
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