Four-Part Local Government Council Announces 'Sejong Declaration' on Local Autonomy Day

[Suwon Ilbo=Seo Dong-young Reporter] The Four-Part Local Government Council announced the 'Sejong Declaration' for the realization of substantial decentralization and balanced development on the occasion of the 7th Local Autonomy Day.

The Korea Association of Mayors and Governors (Chairman Kwon Young-jin, Mayor of Daegu), the Korea Association of Provincial and Metropolitan Assembly Speakers (Chairman Shin Won-chul, Seoul Metropolitan Assembly Speaker), the Korea Mayors and Governors Association (Chairman Yum Tae-young, Suwon Mayor), and the Korea Association of Municipal Assembly Speakers (Chairman Kang Pil-gu, Yeongwang County Assembly Speaker of Jeollanam-do) held the '7th Local Autonomy Day Commemoration Ceremony' at the Local Autonomy Hall in Sejong City on the 30th.

Local Autonomy Day, a statutory commemorative day, was designated as October 29th, the date when the Constitution was amended to revive the local autonomy system, in order to raise public interest in local governance and share achievements in decentralization and balanced development.

More than 120 participants attended, including officials from the central government such as Jin Young, Minister of the Interior and Safety, representatives of the four-part local government council such as Yum Tae-young, Chairman of the Korea Mayors and Governors Association (Suwon Mayor), local government officials, academics, and civic organizations including heads of resident autonomy committees.

The Four-Part Local Government Council declared ▲expedited passage of bills pending in the National Assembly, including the complete revision of the Local Autonomy Act ▲expansion of local finances and realization of fiscal decentralization ▲countermeasures to overcome the crisis of local depopulation. The declaration was presented to Minister Jin Young of the Interior and Safety.

Yum Tae-young, Suwon Mayor, said in a congratulatory address, "There is not much time left for the golden opportunity in the 20th National Assembly. I hope that by revitalizing local areas to save the nation and creating national competitiveness through the power of local autonomy, we will achieve this together."