Jungnang District Enacts Seoul’s First ‘Civil Society Revitalization Ordinance’

Legal Basis for Public-Private Cooperation and Support for Public Interest Activities
Establishing a Support System Including the Formation of the Civil Society Revitalization Committee

Jungnang District in Seoul will be the first among the city’s autonomous districts to enact an ordinance aimed at revitalizing civil society.

According to Jungnang District (District Mayor Ryu Gyeonggi), the ordinance bill titled “Ordinance on Revitalizing Civil Society and Promoting Public Interest Activities in Jungnang District, Seoul” was finally passed by the Jungnang District Council on December 19 and is scheduled to be enacted on December 31, as announced on December 22.

Exterior view of Jungnang District Office. Provided by Jungnang District Office.

This ordinance was established to provide institutional support for communication and cooperation with civil society and to create an environment where public interest activities can take place in a stable manner. Its significance is heightened as it is the first such case among Seoul’s autonomous districts.

The ordinance includes specific provisions for fostering the civil society ecosystem, such as the purpose and definition of civil society revitalization, the responsibilities of the district mayor, the establishment and operation of the Civil Society Revitalization Committee, and the operation and support functions of the Jungnang District NPO Support Center.

With the enactment of this ordinance, the district plans to newly establish the “Jungnang District Civil Society Revitalization Committee.” Centered around the “Jungnang District NPO Support Center,” the district intends to build a systematic support system for civil society and public interest activities as a whole and to further strengthen the foundation for cooperation.

A local civil society representative commented, “With the establishment of this long-needed institutional foundation, the sustainability of public interest activities will be ensured, and this will serve as an opportunity for the administration and civil society to become equal partners in cooperation.”

Ryu Gyeonggi, Mayor of Jungnang District, stated, “With the enactment of this ordinance, an institutional foundation has been established to support the voluntary public interest activities of civil society,” adding, “We will continue to strive to create a structure in which the administration and civil society can cooperate based on mutual trust.”