Gwangju City Council Pledges to Be a Gwangju-Style Council Together with Citizens

Announcement of This Year's Legislative Settlement and Next Year's Legislative Direction

Kim Yongjip, Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, held an online year-end press conference on the afternoon of the 28th at the Council's Budget and Accounts Special Committee meeting room, announcing the 2020 legislative activity summary and the 2021 legislative direction. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan Council

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] The 8th Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Chairman Kim Yong-jip) concluded its legislative activities for this year and announced the legislative direction for next year on the 28th.

The 8th Gwangju Metropolitan Council held a total of 10 sessions over 124 days, from the 285th extraordinary session to the 294th 2nd regular session this year, handling a total of 454 agenda items including 272 ordinances, 21 budget and settlement proposals, and 80 consent and approval proposals, leading the development of the local community.

In particular, regarding the enactment and revision of autonomous legislation ordinances, to realize resident-centered local autonomy that citizens truly desire in the local field, 153 of the total 272 ordinances, accounting for 56%, were initiated by the council members.

In the evaluation of ‘Outstanding Local Council Ordinances’ hosted by the Korean Local Autonomy Association, the most credible local autonomy research institution in South Korea, the council won the ‘Excellence Award’ in both the organization and individual categories; at the ‘National Local Council Best Practice Competition’ hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, it received the ‘Best Institution Award’ and the ‘Minister’s Award’; and at the ‘Local Council Manifesto Promise Awards’ by the Korea Manifesto Practice Headquarters evaluating elected officials’ activities, it earned the ‘Grand Prize’ and ‘Excellence Award’ in the good ordinance category, achieving remarkable results.

Through administrative audits of 91 institutions including Gwangju City, the City Education Office, and affiliated organizations, the council reviewed a total of 1,233 documents, identified 655 corrective matters, and requested improvements. It also conducted 54 administrative questions and 20 five-minute free speeches, pointing out problems and proposing alternatives on major administrative affairs and current issues to enhance administrative efficiency and effectiveness.

Additionally, by conducting personnel hearings for the CEO candidate of the Gwangju Cultural Foundation, efforts were made to secure innovation in public institutions’ work and transparency in personnel matters.

In response to the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, the council reviewed and approved an emergency supplementary budget for COVID-19 through a one-point plenary session, actively supported the quarantine response activities of the Gwangju Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters by operating an emergency response headquarters at the council level, and flexibly adjusted the council session schedule.

Furthermore, by adopting the prompt passage of 5·18-related bills as an official agenda of the National Council of Chairpersons of City and Provincial Councils, it laid the groundwork for solidarity among local councils nationwide, contributing to the passage of the ‘5·18 Truth Investigation Special Act,’ ‘5·18 Democratic Merit Recipient Treatment Act,’ and ‘5·18 Historical Distortion Punishment Act’ in the National Assembly plenary session. The council also worked to elevate the noble meaning of the 5·18 Movement’s 40th anniversary by establishing the 5·18 Memorial Day as a local holiday, according to the council’s self-assessment.

In addition, to resolve major local issues, the council has closely responded by issuing 17 statements, adopting 7 proposals, and visiting key institutions to make recommendations, cooperating and communicating with Gwangju City, political circles, and civil society.

The council provided legislative information to citizens through various media such as the press, YouTube, internet, newsletters, real-time broadcasting of council meetings (238 times), and public attendance at plenary sessions (31 times, 278 people). It also actively responded to citizen petitions (25 cases) and internet complaints (101 cases) to promptly resolve citizen inconveniences.

The council plans to focus its legislative capabilities on resolving pressing local issues next year as well.

Until the COVID-19 situation is completely resolved, it will strive to protect citizens’ safety and revitalize the local economy. At the same time, it will meticulously and swiftly implement follow-up measures such as ordinance and regulation revisions following the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act for the first time in 32 years, aiming to complete autonomous administration suited to Gwangju’s conditions in the new year marking the 30th anniversary of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council’s opening, and to make Gwangju a model city leading local autonomy in South Korea.

It will also do its best to propose policy alternatives and prepare autonomous legislation for the true globalization of 5·18 and the effective promotion of several key tasks including the Gwangju-type 3 Major New Deals.

Moreover, it plans to further strive to realize a ‘Gwangju-style council with citizens’ where the will of the citizens is realized through the Gwangju Metropolitan Council.

Regarding the enactment and revision of ordinances, the council will faithfully reflect citizens’ opinions and fulfill its fundamental role of checking and monitoring the executive branch’s budget management and administrative actions. Through active field activities, it will seek answers to problems on-site, further activate policy research activities and the legislative monitoring group, gather diverse opinions from the local community, and serve as a mediator that suggests better directions and builds trust between the executive branch and citizens.

The council will significantly expand citizen participation spaces including the open chairman’s office, establish a dedicated publicity department, strengthen citizen publicity using SNS and video media for legislative matters, and strive to create an administrative environment that prioritizes socially vulnerable groups in policy inspection and alternative seeking.

Chairman Kim Yong-jip stated, “The 8th Gwangju Metropolitan Council has done its best in legislative activities to protect citizens’ safety and promote the development of the Gwangju community during the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis over the past year. In the new year, we promise to devote ourselves to legislative activities to solve local issues and realize a ‘Gwangju-style council with citizens’ that advances true local autonomy and decentralization.”

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