Convenience for Residents Takes a Backseat at Wanju County Council, Jeonbuk

Published 22 Nov.2021 17:55(KST)

Most Vehicles Owned by Jeonbuk Assembly Among Provincial Councils, High Level of Legislative Allowances

Mobile Website Development and Real-Time Meeting Broadcasts Still Pending

Criticism for Neglecting Convenience Such as Enhancing Right to Know and Accessibility

Convenience for Residents Takes a Backseat at Wanju County Council, Jeonbuk

[Wanju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] The Wanju County Council in Jeonbuk, chaired by Kim Jae-cheon, is facing severe criticism for prioritizing the convenience and benefits of its council members over those of the residents.

While the council is proactive regarding matters directly related to themselves, such as council member allowances and official vehicles, it neglects providing means for residents to access information about council usage or activities.

According to the Wanju County Council on the 22nd, there are a total of five official vehicles operated by the council.

These include a dedicated car for the chairperson, a 9-seater work van, a hydrogen car, one large bus, and one 18-seater medium bus. This is the highest number among the 14 city and county councils in Jeonbuk.

Jeonju City Council operates four vehicles, Gunsan City Council four, Iksan City Council five, Jeongeup City Council three, Namwon City Council five, and Gimje City Council three official vehicles.

Additionally, Jinan County Council has three, Muju County Council three, Jangsu County Council two, Imsil County Council three, Sunchang County Council two, Gochang County Council three, and Buan County Council three official vehicles.

Considering that the Wanju County Council has only 11 members in total, there are criticisms that the number of vehicles operated by the council is excessive.

Jeonju City Council and Gunsan City Council, with 34 and 23 members respectively, operate four vehicles each. Jeongeup City Council, which has five more members than Wanju County Council (16 members), operates only three official vehicles.

Alongside the official vehicles, the council member allowances of Wanju County Council are also known to be quite high.

In March 2019, despite strong opposition from civic groups in Jeonbuk and within the local community, Wanju County Council pushed through a 19.5% increase in council member allowances.

As a result, Wanju County council members receive nearly 3.35 million KRW monthly in allowances without fail.

On the other hand, Wanju County Council has neglected to provide conveniences that would enhance residents' accessibility and satisfy their right to know.

Currently, Wanju County Council does not have a mobile website. When accessing the council’s website on mobile devices, users encounter a PC-version interface with small text, causing significant inconvenience for most residents.

Furthermore, the council releases videos of plenary sessions and standing committee meetings on its website and YouTube channel about a day after the meetings. This contrasts with most other city and county councils that provide live broadcasts to fulfill residents’ right to know.

According to data from National Assembly audit by Justice Party member Lee Eun-joo, as of September this year, the city and county councils in Jeonbuk that do not provide real-time live broadcasts include Wanju County Council, Gunsan City Council, Jinan County Council, Imsil County Council, and Gochang County Council.

A local resident, Mr. Lee (67, from Gosan-myeon), said, “I didn’t expect the county council to have so many official vehicles,” and added, “They caused such controversy when increasing the council member allowances, but it seems they still haven’t come to their senses.”

In response, a Wanju County Council Secretariat official said, “Out of the five official vehicles, two are old and will be disposed of early next year,” and added, “We plan to establish a mobile website as soon as possible through planning and budget allocation.”