Byungsoo Kim, Mayor of Gimpo, Elected Vice President of the Council of Mayors of Major Cities of Korea

Striving for Cooperation and Development Among Major Cities

Gimpo City in Gyeonggi Province announced on June 27 that Byungsoo Kim, Mayor of Gimpo, was elected as Vice President of the Council of Mayors of Major Cities of Korea at the 6th regular meeting held on June 26.

Byungsoo Kim, Mayor of Gimpo. Provided by Gimpo City

This meeting was held via video conference, with the heads and deputy heads of 19 member cities in attendance.

The Council of Mayors of Major Cities of Korea is an organization formed to strengthen cooperation among large cities with populations of over 500,000 nationwide, to address shared issues, and to promote institutional improvements. The council carries out a wide range of activities, including research and surveys related to major cities and proposals for amendments to relevant laws and regulations.

At the meeting, Mayor Kim emphasized the need to revise laws to address overcrowding in middle schools in urban development areas, as well as the need to improve property criteria for emergency welfare support projects to provide more flexible support for households in crisis in large cities. He requested that the council formally submit these proposals to the central government.

Regarding his election as Vice President, the Mayor of Gimpo stated, "This year marks the meaningful 30th anniversary of local autonomy, and it is also a year in which the circumstances surrounding major cities are changing rapidly." He stressed, "At such a time, the role and expectations of the Council of Mayors of Major Cities are growing even greater." He added, "As Vice President, I will fulfill my responsibilities and work to strengthen communication and cooperation with member cities."

Since surpassing a population of 500,000 in 2023 and joining the ranks of major cities, Gimpo City has been pursuing various wide-area cooperation initiatives. Following its selection as the chair city of the Western Metropolitan Area Administrative Council in 2024, the city plans to further expand its activities as a major city, taking the recent election of the Vice President of the Council of Mayors of Major Cities as an opportunity.

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