Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils of Korea Holds 268th Provincial Representative Meeting in Gyeongju

The Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils of Korea (Chairman Kim Hyunki) held the 268th Provincial Representatives Meeting on September 16 at the Hilton Hotel in Gyeongju.

This meeting, hosted by the Council of Chairpersons of City and County Councils of North Gyeongsang Province (Chairman Lee Donghyup, Chairman of Gyeongju City Council), was attended by over 170 people, including provincial representative chairpersons from across the country, members of the North Gyeongsang Council of Chairpersons, members of the Gyeongju City Council, and recipients of the Local Legislative Service Award.

First, during the provincial representatives meeting, the council reported on its activities, including the submission of opinions regarding the necessity of internal audits within local councils. The meeting also included deliberation and reporting on agenda items such as the proposal to improve the Barrier-Free (BF) Certification System for living environments.

At the subsequent welcome ceremony, the event began with the screening of a promotional video for APEC 2025 KOREA, followed by the presentation of the Korean Local Legislative Service Award to six individuals: Lee Kyunghee (Gyeongju City Council), Kim Seho (Gimcheon City Council), Shin Seongho (Mungyeong City Council), Kim Seongho (Yeongdeok County Council), Kang Younggu (Yecheon County Council), and Park Younggil (Uljin County Council).

In his opening remarks, Kim Hyunki, Chairman of the Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils of Korea, stated, "It is an honor to hold the provincial representatives meeting in Gyeongju, the most authentically Korean city," and added, "We will strive to create greater local autonomy based on institutional improvements to strengthen legislative capabilities."

Additionally, in his welcoming address, Lee Donghyup, Chairman of North Gyeongsang Province, expressed, "I hope this will be a valuable opportunity to seek concrete solutions to local issues and discover new visions and alternatives through communication and cooperation among local councils." He also requested, "Please give your full support so that the 2025 APEC Summit can elevate the status of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and ultimately all of Korea."

The Council of Chairpersons of City, County, and District Councils of Korea is one of the four major consultative bodies representing 226 basic local councils nationwide and is engaged in policy development and response activities to strengthen the authority of basic councils and realize resident-centered local autonomy.