Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of the Council of Si/Do Councils, "Active Response to Nationwide Regional Disappearance"

Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs, Holds Appointment Ceremony and First Meeting of the ‘Special Committee on Regional Extinction Response’

On the 8th, the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs Holds the 4th Extraordinary Meeting of 2023

Appointment Ceremony and First Meeting of the ‘Special Committee on Regional Extinction Response’ to Actively Address the Deepening Population Crisis

14 Agenda Items Submitted Including Proposal to Form a National Airport Noise Countermeasures Special Committee, 13 Approved

Donation Delivered to Gangwon Province and Chungcheongnam-do, Damaged by Wildfires in April

Chairman Kim: “More than Half of the 118 Cities, Counties, and Districts Nationwide Are at Risk of Extinction... Actively Responding to Regional Extinction”

Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs (Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council), held the appointment ceremony and first meeting of the ‘Special Committee on Regional Extinction Response’ on the 8th at the Presidential Memorial Hall in Cheongnamdae, Chungbuk, to promote joint regional responses amid the deepening population crisis.

The special committee will engage in policy development and research on issues related to regional extinction, legislative advocacy for institutional improvements to respond to regional extinction, and other external activities.

The formation and operation of the special committee was proposed directly by Chairman Kim Hyun-ki as an agenda item at the 2nd Extraordinary Meeting of the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs held on March 13, 2023.

The special committee on regional extinction response consists of one member from each of the 17 metropolitan and provincial councils. From the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Assemblywoman Gumi-gyeong was appointed as a committee member.

Chairman Kim stated, “The issue of regional extinction has been raised for a long time, but joint responses have been insufficient. However, according to the recently released regional extinction risk index map, more than half of the 118 cities, counties, and districts nationwide are either at high risk of extinction (51 areas) or entering extinction risk (67 areas). Through this special committee under the council, which enables solidarity and cooperation among local governments, we intend to raise our voices to the central government and actively respond to regional extinction.”

At the extraordinary meeting, a total of 14 agenda items were submitted, of which 13 were approved. The 13 approved agenda items include: ▲Proposals to amend ordinances related to the payment of local council members’ activity allowances ▲Government proposals for national funding of metropolitan railway operating costs for local development ▲Urgent legislative request for the complete revision of the Gangwon Special Act ▲Proposal to form the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs’ ‘National Airport Noise Countermeasures Special Committee’ ▲Proposal to grant autonomy in the establishment of local council committees (number of professional staff) ▲Proposal to establish operating expenses for assembly research groups ▲Proposal to activate the delivery payment adjustment consultation system and lead implementation in the public sector ▲Request for policy improvement measures for government reserve integration promotion ▲Proposal to establish budget support grounds for local council negotiation groups ▲Request to revise local government budget formulation and operation standards to establish budget support grounds for local council negotiation groups ▲Request to promote the elevation of the local council training institution (tentatively named ‘Local Assembly Training Institute’) ▲Request for relief and recovery support for wildfire-affected areas in Gangneung and Chungnam (approved with amendments) ▲Proposal to promote the Asia Parliamentary Forum (improving the role of the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs) (approved as a long-term review task).

In particular, the proposal to form the Korea Council of Local Assembly Chairs’ ‘National Airport Noise Countermeasures Special Committee’ was directly proposed by Chairman Kim to address the issue that airport noise management is currently classified as a central government matter, which fails to reflect resident demands and the characteristics of individual airports. The plan is to form the special committee in June to actively respond to the current status of airport noise and related legislation and amendments.

Meanwhile, the proposal to block the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean and to establish protective measures for the fisheries sector was deferred after extensive discussion.

Additionally, the council delivered 10 million won each as wildfire damage recovery donations to Gangwon Province and Chungcheongnam-do, which were affected by wildfires in Gangneung and Chungnam in April.

In his greeting, Chairman Kim said, “The council is doing its best to lay the foundation for change to advance local autonomy and local assembly development,” adding, “Local assemblies, which understand regional circumstances well, will do their utmost to quickly resolve pressing issues through solidarity and cooperation.”

He also stated, “For this, the authority and status of local assemblies must be elevated,” and pledged, “We will continue our efforts to realize increases in local council members’ activity allowances and the granting of organizational authority to local assemblies.”

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