Seoyoungkyo, Jeongcheongrae, and Leehaesik National Assembly Members, Jeonhyeonhee Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Receive 'Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Autonomy Award'

Seoul Metropolitan Council (Chairman Kim In-ho) Awards 'Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Prize' to Four Individuals Including National Assembly Members Seo Young-kyo, Jung Chung-rae, Lee Hae-sik, and Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, for Contributions to Local Decentralization and Elevating the Status of Local Councils on the 30th Anniversary of the Revival of Local Councils

Kim In-ho, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (left), took a commemorative photo with Seo Young-kyo, Chairperson of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, who received the Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Autonomy Award (center), and Kim Jung-tae, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Steering Committee (right).

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Seoul Metropolitan Council (Chairman Kim In-ho) commemorated the 30th anniversary of the revival of local councils by selecting four individuals?including National Assembly members and others?who have contributed to the realization of local decentralization and the establishment of the status of local councils. The recipients were Seo Young-kyo, Chair of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee; Jeong Cheong-rae, National Assembly member; Lee Hae-sik, National Assembly member; and Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. They were awarded the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Award.’

The ‘Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Award’ is a special award first planned and established by the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Local Decentralization Task Force (Head Kim Jeong-tae) to honor the contributions and efforts of National Assembly members and others who have made remarkable achievements in realizing local decentralization and establishing the status of local councils, including the revision of the Local Autonomy Act after 32 years and the proposal of the Local Council Act. This award was presented for the first time this year.

Starting with the presentation of the Local Decentralization Award to Seo Young-kyo, Chair of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, and Jeong Cheong-rae, National Assembly member, at the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Policy Evaluation Seminar’ held at the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the 19th of last month, the awards were subsequently presented directly to Lee Hae-sik, National Assembly member, at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building on the 9th of this month, and to Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, at the Government Seoul Office on the 13th, along with expressions of gratitude.

Seo Young-kyo, Chair of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee (Seoul Jungnang-gu Gap, 3-term), as Chair of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, led the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act last December?the first in 32 years?achieving the independence of personnel authority for local councils and the introduction of specialized policy support personnel, and actively worked on subsequent local decentralization legislative amendments.

In particular, in August, she took the lead in realizing local decentralization and establishing the status of local councils by representing the bill for the Local Council Act, which embodies the aspirations of local councils.

Jeong Cheong-rae, National Assembly member (Seoul Mapo-gu Eul, 3-term), first proposed the amendment to the Local Autonomy Act in the 19th National Assembly in 2012, which included ‘independence of personnel authority for local councils’ and ‘introduction of specialized policy support personnel,’ and led it to just before the passage of the law. In the recent full revision of the Local Autonomy Act, he played a decisive role by proposing amendments related to ‘independence of personnel authority for local councils’ and ‘introduction of specialized policy support personnel.’ Notably, he independently proposed the addition of a clause prohibiting infringement of autonomous legislative rights by administrative legislation to strengthen autonomous legislative rights, which was reflected in the full revision, thus taking the lead in realizing local decentralization and establishing the status of local councils.

Lee Hae-sik, National Assembly member (Seoul Gangdong-gu Eul, first-term), a former two-term member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (5th and 6th terms), significantly contributed to the independence of personnel authority for local councils and the introduction of specialized policy support personnel as a member of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee during the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act last December?the first in 32 years. He actively advocated for the inclusion of the clause prohibiting infringement of autonomous legislative rights by administrative legislation during the deliberation process of the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act, greatly contributing to the strengthening of autonomous legislative rights. Additionally, he has been working to realize local decentralization and establish the status of local councils by representing the Local Council Act bill for the first time in the 21st National Assembly (November 17, 2020).

Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, a former two-term National Assembly member, incorporated the Local Council Act bill proposed by the Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Task Force during the 20th National Assembly and became the first in constitutional history to represent the Local Council Act bill in the National Assembly in February 2018. She was selected as the first recipient of the award in recognition of her active efforts for the enactment of the Local Council Act, including holding a press conference at the National Assembly Press Center in February 2018 to urge the passage of the Local Council Act, a public hearing on the Local Autonomy Act at the National Assembly in March of the same year, and a forum urging the enactment of the Local Council Act in March 2019.

Kim Jeong-tae, Chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Steering Committee and Head of the Local Decentralization Task Force (Democratic Party, Yeongdeungpo 2), who planned the ‘Local Decentralization Award’ and personally presented the plaques, said, “In recognition of the dedication to realizing local decentralization, the highest national development strategy, and establishing the status of local councils, the Seoul Metropolitan Council, on behalf of its 110 members, specially awarded the Local Decentralization Award to these four individuals.” He expressed the Council’s gratitude for the recipients’ contributions and efforts.

Furthermore, through the plaque presentation, Head Kim Jeong-tae requested continuous interest and relentless efforts for the realization of local decentralization and the establishment of the status of local councils, stating, “There remain much more important tasks such as follow-up measures to the Local Autonomy Act, the enactment of the Local Council Act, and constitutional amendments for local decentralization.”

The award recipients, including Seo Young-kyo, Chair of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, Jeong Cheong-rae, National Assembly member, Lee Hae-sik, National Assembly member, and Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, expressed their gratitude for receiving the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Council Local Decentralization Award’ and responded, “We will do our best together with the Seoul Metropolitan Council, which is committed to realizing local decentralization and establishing the status of local councils.”

The award ceremony and plaque presentation were graced by the presence of Kim In-ho, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party, Dongdaemun 3), along with Yoo Yong, Deputy Head of the Local Decentralization Task Force (Democratic Party, Dongjak 4), and Kim Jong-mu, Council member (Democratic Party, Gangdong 2).

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