Suncheon City Council: "We Will Be a Cooperative Local Government Partner Offering Productive Alternatives"

Sharing the 1st Anniversary Achievements of the 8th Term's Second Half and Indicating the Direction for the Remaining Term

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] The Suncheon City Council (Chairman Heo Yu-in) held a press briefing on the 1st in the small conference room of Suncheon City Hall to mark the 1st anniversary of the second half of the 8th term, sharing achievements so far and presenting the direction the council will take in the remaining year.

The Suncheon City Council announced the start of the second half of the 8th term by electing a new chairperson on July 1 last year.

During the second half of the 8th term, the council adopted the slogan "A Warm Council Walking with Citizens" and handled a total of 251 agenda items, including 159 ordinance proposals, over nine sessions.

In particular, amid the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, the council adjusted session schedules to help ensure timely implementation of quarantine tasks and disaster relief payments, and operated a council situation room for council members’ work.

Additionally, when heavy rains caused significant damage in the Hwangjeon-myeon area in August last year, the council was the first to rush to comfort disaster victims and worked to expedite flood recovery and damage compensation. They also supported flood recovery efforts in Gurye-eup and delivered consolation goods to the councils of Gurye, Gokseong, and Damyang counties, demonstrating activities that transcended administrative districts.

On the 29th of last month, the special law on the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident, which was primarily proposed by National Assembly member So Byung-chul, passed the plenary session of the National Assembly, thanks to the tireless efforts of the city council.

So far, the city council formed a special committee on the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident to enact the special law and played a leading role in various activities, including issuing a joint statement urging the enactment of the special law with six city and county councils in the eastern Jeonnam region.

Furthermore, starting with complaints about the Dongcheon Suspension Bridge, the council has taken an active mediator role by paying attention to local issues such as the Clean-up Environmental Center, half-price rental housing, and Suncheonman Garden Market, frequently visiting sites and holding resident meetings to listen to citizens’ voices.

Chairman Heo Yu-in stated, “The coming year is an important period to recover the struggling local economy due to COVID-19 and to form a newly changing social culture. With the spirit of Seon Gi Won Po Seon Jeok Je In, we will do our best to foresee and look far ahead, understand the flow of the new era, and take the lead,” expressing the Suncheon City Council’s determination to prepare for the post-COVID era.

He pledged to make every effort to successfully host the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo, held for the first time in 10 years since 2013, and to attract the Suncheon National University College of Medicine, which will play a pivotal role in improving the medical environment in the eastern Jeonnam region.

Also, with the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act for the first time in 32 years starting next year, significant changes are expected in council democracy. The city council stated it will spare no support to activate resident autonomy and realize direct democracy to fulfill its role as the “representative of the people’s will.”

Chairman Heo said, “As I stated at the beginning of my term, to become ‘the representative of Suncheon citizens, a city council for the citizens,’ the 24 council members of Suncheon City Council will fulfill their role as mature partners in local autonomy through reasonable oversight of city administration, healthy checks and balances, productive proposal of alternatives, and cooperation.”

Meanwhile, prior to the press briefing, Chairman Heo Yu-in and the city council members paid respects at the Hyeonchungjeongwon located in the National Garden and pledged to carry out their council activities for the happiness of citizens in the coming year.

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