Seoul District Mayors' Council Effectiveness Questioned... Calls for Improvement in Meeting Format

Seoul District Mayors Meet Every Two Months to Discuss Local Issues with Seoul Officials, Raising Questions About Effectiveness

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] "I think holding the Seoul City District Mayors' Council in the current manner has little significance."

This is what the mayor of District A in Seoul recently told a reporter.

He said that there are hardly any issues that can be resolved by discussing district office matters with senior Seoul city officials in this way.

Another deputy mayor of District B in Seoul also said that holding the District Mayors' Council in the current manner seems meaningless. He argued, "For example, before the Seoul city new year's budget is drafted, the Seoul district mayors should gather to share opinions and deliver them to the city in an issue-focused meeting to make it worthwhile."

The Seoul City District Mayors' Council (Chairman Lee Seong-heon, Mayor of Seodaemun District) was launched with the start of the 5th popularly elected term in 2010 and has been held regularly to make proposals to Seoul city or the government, but it is evaluated as having yielded little benefit.

Along with this, there are also remarks that holding meetings once every two months is somewhat excessive.

One official said, "It might be acceptable if held once every three months, but since the 8th popularly elected term began, holding it every two months feels like it's happening too frequently."

Especially, the District Mayors' Council held on the 12th at 7:30 a.m. at Dalgabi next to Deoksugung Palace caused some commotion due to traffic congestion during rush hour.

Another local government official criticized, "On that morning, the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee held a national audit of Seoul city, so it seems the venue was suddenly changed. They could have just held the council the next day at Seoul City Hall, so why insist on holding it at Dalgabi that day causing parking and traffic issues?"

On the morning of the 12th, starting from 7:30 AM, the Seoul Metropolitan Council of District Mayors held a meeting at Dalgabi next to Deoksugung, which caused confusion due to traffic congestion on the access road.

However, the Seoul City District Mayors' Council showed some achievement by increasing the number of members from Seoul city district mayors participating in the Seoul City Urban Planning Committee from one to two.

Meanwhile, the council plans to hold the first workshop of the 8th popularly elected term Seoul City District Mayors' Council on November 4-5 at the National Assembly Goseong Training Center, with 18 district mayors from Jongno-gu, Jung-gu, Yongsan-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, and others expected to attend, while six district mayors from Seongdong-gu, Gwangjin-gu, Jungnang-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Gwanak-gu, and Seongbuk-gu are absent, and Geumcheon-gu's attendance is undecided.

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