Kim In-ho, Chairman of Seoul Metropolitan Council, "Focusing on Solving Local Issues through Listening to Citizens' Lively Demands and Communication and Cooperation"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Kim In-ho, the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council Chairperson for the second half of the term, said immediately after his election on the 25th, "I feel a heavy responsibility as I take on the significant role of Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council at a crucial juncture of 'responding to the COVID-19 crisis' and 'advancing local autonomy and decentralization.'" He added, "I want to make the next two years a period of building substantial achievements based on the foundation laid by the first half's chairperson group and standing committee chairpersons."

On the same day at 4 p.m., the Seoul Metropolitan Council held a plenary session and conducted a yes/no vote on Chairperson candidate Kim In-ho. Out of 110 members, 105 attended, and with 99 votes in favor, he was elected as the Chairperson for the second half of the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Chairperson Kim will officially begin his term on July 1.

Kim emphasized that he will do his best to support the organization of a 'policy- and legislation-centered council' and 'field-oriented council activities,' which were pledges during his campaign, and promised to present and implement concrete plans for these as soon as possible.

He also stated, "The second half of the council will need to be re-elected by voters again in two years, and 2022 will be an election year including the presidential election." He promised, "Until then, the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council will make multifaceted efforts to gain greater trust from citizens."

He continued, "Above all, I will go out to the field to listen to the vivid demands of citizens, focus on solving local issues through communication and cooperation with Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and spend two years meeting citizens' expectations."

Chairperson Kim also said he will do his utmost to create a policy- and legislation-centered council.

He said, "The top priority for the second half of the Seoul Metropolitan Council inevitably must be COVID-19 prevention and stabilizing people's livelihoods. We plan to fully support various policies that aid local economic recovery both legislatively and financially. We will show a 'policy- and legislation-centered council' that concretely changes citizens' daily lives with feasible pledges, not idealistic ones."

He also pledged to devote all efforts to operating a council centered on local fieldwork.

Kim said, "To solve local issues, which is the original duty of local councils, we will show a 'local field-centered council.' We will systematically support the implementation of pledges by each of the 110 Seoul Metropolitan Council members."

In particular, he proposed not leaving local issues as just local problems but establishing a '110 Center' in the council members' office building, where the chairperson group and standing committee chairpersons will participate in meetings to actively discuss local issues from the core of the council. He also stated that securing budgets for local projects will be addressed from this perspective.

Along with this, he expressed his ambition to operate the council as a leader in local autonomy and decentralization at the center of local councils nationwide.

Kim said, "I will take the lead in the prompt passage of the 'Local Autonomy Act Amendment,' a long-standing issue for local councils. Since next year marks the 30th anniversary of the revival of local councils, the Seoul Metropolitan Council, as the eldest brother among local councils nationwide, will realize long-standing tasks such as the 'introduction of policy advisors' and 'independence of personnel authority for the council secretariat,' thereby correcting the authority and status of local councils and laying the foundation for local autonomy and decentralization in the Republic of Korea."

Kim In-ho, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (center), Kim Ki-duk, Vice Chairman (left), and Kim Kwang-su, Vice Chairman-elect, are holding a press interview in front of the main chamber of the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the afternoon of the 25th.

He also pledged that through concrete organizational changes such as the dedicated secretariat for the National Association of Chairs of City and Provincial Councils and the National Association of Chairs of City and Provincial Council Operations Committees, and the formation of an advisory group for the Seoul Metropolitan Council mainly composed of former chairpersons and multi-term council members, the Seoul Metropolitan Council will serve as the central axis of local councils nationwide.

Attention is focused on Chairperson Kim's actions as he takes office amid the difficult local economic situation caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Meanwhile, in the vice-chairperson election held on the same day, Councilor Kim Ki-duk (Mapo-gu 4) was elected with 95 votes out of 100 participants, and Councilor Kim Kwang-soo (Dobong 2) was elected with 95 votes out of 102 participants.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.