7th Regular Meeting of the Korea Association of Major City Mayors Held at KINTEX in Goyang on September 25
"Constitutional Amendment Must Include Local Decentralization"
Emphasizing the Need for Solidarity Among Major Cities
The Korea Association of Major City Mayors (Chairman: Lee Kangdeok, Mayor of Pohang) held the 7th regular meeting of the 8th term at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on September 25, where they engaged in in-depth discussions on common issues and development strategies for major cities.
Lee Kangdeok, mayor of Pohang, presided over the 7th regular meeting of the 8th term of the Korea Association of Major City Mayors held on the 25th at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. (4th from the right) Photo by Pohang City
The meeting was presided over by Lee Kangdeok, Mayor of Pohang, and was attended by mayors and deputy mayors from 11 member cities, as well as other key officials, who addressed a variety of agenda items.
In his opening remarks, Mayor Lee referenced Germany’s model of local decentralization and balanced development, emphasizing, "The upcoming constitutional amendment, which is the government’s number one national agenda, must include provisions on local autonomy." He stressed that this is an essential task not only for major cities but also for balanced development across the entire Republic of Korea.
He further stated, "As discussions on constitutional amendments are expected to accelerate in the future, mayors of major cities must communicate closely and work in solidarity," underscoring the council’s leading role in expanding the authority and autonomy of local governments.
Mayor Kangdeok Lee is presiding over the meeting of the Council of Mayors of Major Cities in the Republic of Korea. Provided by Pohang City
During the meeting, six agenda items were proposed and reviewed, including the expansion of the number of deputy mayors for special and major cities, and the amendment of the Act on the Promotion of Waste Facilities to mandate the installation of recycling infrastructure.
The participants also discussed plans to jointly operate a booth at the World Korean Business Convention to be held in Incheon in October, exploring ways to expand overseas networks and strengthen economic cooperation.
In addition, the cities shared exemplary policy cases such as Anyang’s "Eco-friendly Convergence Smart Valley in West Anyang," Gimhae’s "G-1 Safety Task Force," and Hwaseong’s "Marriage Promotion Matching Account," thereby broadening opportunities for exchange among member cities.
The Korea Association of Major City Mayors is a council composed of 19 cities with populations of over 500,000. Since its establishment in 2003, it has led the advancement of major cities and the strengthening of local autonomy through joint administrative research and policy recommendations.
At the meeting, Pohang City introduced the "Pohang International Fireworks Show," which will be held in conjunction with the APEC Summit in October, presenting a vision to enhance its status as a global city. Pohang City and the association plan to use this meeting as a foundation to strengthen cooperation for resolving common issues among major cities and realizing local decentralization.
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