Suncheon-si Selected as an 'Excellent Institution' in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Public Participation Level Evaluation

Suncheon-type Direct Democracy Participation Policy Recognized as an Excellent Case

Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon engaging in direct dialogue and communication with citizens during a public forum (Photo by Suncheon City)

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City (Mayor Heo Seok) announced on the 30th that it was selected as an 'Excellent Institution' in this year's public participation level evaluation by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Since last October, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has conducted evaluations by forming a 'Public Participation Level Diagnosis Promotion Team' consisting of public participation experts, general citizens, and public officials, targeting 45 central administrative agencies, 17 metropolitan local governments, and 226 basic local governments.

As a result of evaluating 20 indicators in three areas: public participation infrastructure, process, and performance, among local governments, Suncheon City, along with Anyang City and Gijang County, and among central administrative agencies, the Military Manpower Administration and Statistics Korea were selected as excellent institutions.

Suncheon City has been recognized for its efforts to create a city called ‘A Garden of Democracy Blooming with Citizens' Voices,’ aiming for participation and administrative communication that gathers the opinions of each citizen in their daily lives.

In particular, during the 7th term of Mayor Heo Seok, he has continuously engaged in communication regardless of topic or location through activities such as Jeonggyeoun Damsso (Friendly Chat), Byeolbam Talk (Starry Night Talk), Hyeondap Discussion, Tent Discussion, Alley Discussion, and Plaza Discussion to realize a leading city of direct democracy.

Since establishing the Citizens' Sovereignty Division on January 1 this year, the city has gathered citizens' autonomy and direct democracy capabilities and enacted the ‘Ordinance to Activate Citizen Participation’ for democratic administrative management.

The city has expanded citizen participation in the demand, spatial arrangement, and design of various public facilities, as well as program operation and facility management, promoted ‘Suncheon-type Spatial Democracy’ to return shared spaces to the citizens, and built ‘Suncheon e-Democracy Garden,’ an online public forum and direct democracy digital platform as a channel for citizens' administrative participation and communication.

At the ‘2021 Democracy Policy Festival’ held on the 13th at the site of the South Gate of Suncheonbu Eupseong Fortress, citizens planned and conducted policy live commerce where citizens directly evaluated and purchased administrative ideas proposed by citizens, receiving much praise.

Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon said, “Last year, the citizen participation policy ‘Corona19 Crisis Overcoming Quarantine Movement’ was selected as an excellent case at the ‘Very Good Local Autonomy Policy Conference’ and received a commendation from the National Balanced Development Committee Chairman. This year, I am very pleased that we were again selected as an excellent institution in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s public participation policy evaluation.” He added, “Based on these achievements, we will further expand citizen participation and communication policies that find answers together with citizens on-site throughout the administration.”

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