South Korean local council leaders unite to push for Local Council Act

Nam Jong-seop, Chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council and head of the Korea Association of Metropolitan Council Chairpersons, is leading a movement to enact a Local Council Act to strengthen the independence and expertise of local legislative bodies.

During a recent forum, experts and council leaders discussed key legislative directions, including establishing legislative support systems, creating independent audit bodies to increase accountability, and developing professional training programs for council members. Participants emphasized that the law should provide a basic framework for authority and autonomy applicable nationwide, while allowing specific operational details to be determined by local ordinances.

To broaden the movement, Nam is coordinating with both metropolitan and local-level council associations. He recently met with leaders of the Korea Association of Municipal Council Chairpersons to discuss collaborative strategies for passing the act within the year. Nam proposed a joint participation of both metropolitan and local councils in a national assembly scheduled for next month to demonstrate a unified demand for increased local autonomy to the government and the National Assembly.