South Korean local leaders discuss autonomy and regional issues at national briefing

Local government leaders in South Korea participated in a national administration briefing and luncheon meeting hosted by the President to discuss cooperation between central and local governments.

Woo Seong-bin, Mayor of Gijang County, represented local heads of municipalities during the event. He emphasized that grassroots autonomy is where popular sovereignty is realized daily. He called for increased authority and responsibility for local governments while stressing the need to eliminate corruption and protect resident budgets from vested interests. Gijang County has already launched a task force to investigate wasteful projects and potential corruption.

Choi Dong-min, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, attended both the briefing and a policy meeting with the Seoul Democratic Party. He advocated for better communication with residents regarding urban redevelopment and reconstruction projects to ensure transparency regarding costs and procedures. Additionally, he highlighted the need for integrated care systems to address social changes such as aging populations and the rise of single-person households through cooperation between central and local authorities.